Jeff Yaroch
Jeff Yaroch (Republican Party) was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 33. He assumed office on January 1, 2017. He left office on January 1, 2023.
Yaroch (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 33. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Yaroch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jeff Yaroch was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan. He earned an associate degree from Macomb Community College in 1993, a bachelor's degree from Baker College in 2004, and a J.D. from Western Michigan University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2010. His career experience includes working as a firefighter and paramedic.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Yaroch was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Yaroch was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Michigan committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
Jeff Yaroch was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
2020
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Incumbent Jeff Yaroch defeated Olu Jabari in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jeff Yaroch (R)  | 70.5 | 39,429 |
| Olu Jabari (D) | 29.5 | 16,538 | ||
| Total votes: 55,967 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Olu Jabari advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Olu Jabari | 100.0 | 7,104 | |
| Total votes: 7,104 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Incumbent Jeff Yaroch advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Yaroch | 100.0 | 13,557 |
| Total votes: 13,557 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
2018
General election
Incumbent Jeff Yaroch defeated Andrea Geralds in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Yaroch (R) | 65.2 | 25,929 |
| Andrea Geralds (D) | 34.8 | 13,865 | ||
| Total votes: 39,794 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Andrea Geralds advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Andrea Geralds | 100.0 | 6,452 | |
| Total votes: 6,452 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Jeff Yaroch advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 33
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Yaroch | 100.0 | 9,306 |
| Total votes: 9,306 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Michigan House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 19, 2016. Incumbent Ken Goike (R) did not seek re-election because of term-limits.
Jeff Yaroch defeated Yani Warda in the Michigan House of Representatives District 33 general election.[2]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 33 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Jeff Yaroch |
69.99% | 30,295 | |
| Democratic | Yani Warda | 30.01% | 12,987 | |
| Total Votes | 43,282 | |||
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State | ||||
Yani Warda ran unopposed in the Michigan House of Representatives District 33 Democratic primary.[3][4]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 33 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Yani Warda (unopposed) | |
The following candidates ran in the Michigan House of Representatives District 33 Republican primary.[3][4]
| Michigan House of Representatives, District 33 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Jeff Yaroch |
38.38% | 3,161 | |
| Republican | Colleen Carl | 25.86% | 2,130 | |
| Republican | Julianne Cusumano | 10.14% | 835 | |
| Republican | Charles Karafa | 3.97% | 327 | |
| Republican | Mel Koch | 18.14% | 1,494 | |
| Republican | Steven Stoll | 3.51% | 289 | |
| Total Votes | 8,236 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Yaroch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Yaroch's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I learned leadership while becoming an Eagle Scout at 15 years old. The son of a teacher, I also learned early on the value of education. I hold an Associate's Degree in Fire Science from Macomb Community College and a B.B.A. in Human Resource Management, as well as a law degree. I also attended Harvard University's JFK School of Government, State and Local Official Program. My unique educational background has allowed me to "think outside the box" to come up with innovative ways to tackle the ever-changing challenges facing our district. In 2016, I resigned from the Richmond City Council after being elected State Representative for the 33rd District. Since taking office in January 2017, I have brought the same passion for fiscal responsibility and responsiveness to the needs of my constituents to my job as State Representative.
- Fiscally responsible
- Accessible and listens to the people
- Focused on the issues that matter to you
Featured local question Featured local questionAs the state is going to be short in the billions of dollars, a lot of important things are not going to receive as much funding as was originally budgeted. I do not think we should raise taxes on people who are already in a financial struggle. Unfortunately, a lot of important areas will see funding reduced. To share in the pain of anticipated reductions, I have already taken a 10% pay cut.
Featured local questionAddressing Mental Health Issues
Government Accountability (Transparency)
Protecting Our Great Lakes
Jobs and Prosperity
Reforming Car Insurance
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Yaroch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Yaroch's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Roads, Car Insurance, Education (including career tech education)
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about fixing our roads. It is the number one issue I hear about from the residents of the 33rd District. That is why we have eliminated unnecessary bureaucracy to increase road funding. It is also why I introduced HB 5706, a bill to more equitably distribute road funding in Michigan. We must change the antiquated road funding formula that makes Macomb County a "donor" county. I'm passionate about lowering car insurance rates for our drivers. That is why I introduced HB 5552, a bill that would allow drivers to opt out of paying the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) fee, which the MCCA recently increased. I also believe that we must bring transparency to the MCCA, and I support many of the reform bills that have been introduced by my colleagues. Having previously served on the Richmond City Council for 17 years, I believe that state and local government must do a better job of working together for our residents. I am also concerned about mental health issues, especially with the current opioid crisis. That is why I fought to restore $5 million to Macomb County Community Mental Health.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
It is important for elected officials to have integrity and be willing to listen to the people.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I believe that a state representative should listen to the concerns of residents, have empathy, be accountable to the people, and lead by example. That is what I strive to do every day for the residents of the 33rd District.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
My job is to work on the issues that matter to the residents of the 33rd District.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My first job was delivering newspapers in my neighborhood, at a time when the news boys and girls rode their bikes to deliver the paper.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
Congress has two chambers as part of the Great Compromise, with a House of Representatives, where representation is apportioned by population, and a Senate, where each state has equal representation. Contrast that with Michigan in which both the Senate and House districts are apportioned by population. There is no difference in the function of the two chambers, as both were meant to be co-equal chambers. However, term limits have led to the Senate being the more experienced chamber.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I believe my 17 years on the Richmond City Council helped prepare me for this position. I learned how to find common ground to help solve the issues that matter to residents.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Our greatest challenge is addressing our aging infrastructure and protecting our Great Lakes.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Yes.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
I favor a process that makes people confident that it was done fairly.
If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?
I am on the Appropriations Committee, which allows me to scrutinize how our tax dollars are being spent.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
I am focused on doing the job that I was elected to do. Too many politicians are so focused on their next job that they forget the job they were elected to do.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
While out on the campaign trail, I happened to knock on the door of one of my first bosses when I started working as a firefighter over 27 years ago. Unfortunately, he was dying of cancer, but I was thankful to have the opportunity to visit with him a few weeks before he passed.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2016
Yaroch's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[5]
| “ |
Fiscal Responsibility: I believe every expenditure should be scrutinized for its value to the taxpayers. To create economic growth and an affordable community, I worked with the Richmond City Council to lower taxes 27.6% from 23 mils to 16.65 mils while still maintaining the quality of life the taxpayers desired. I want to take this same skill set to Lansing to fight for fiscal responsibility, NOW! Government Accountability: I serve the people. I am committed to being a representative of the people and for the people. The Flint Water Crisis was a total failure of local, state, and federal officials to fulfill their duty to the citizens. I have been committed to ensuring we do our duty for the citizens, and I will do the same in Lansing. I am not afraid to challenge the system. Jobs and Prosperity: We must maintain a state in which our residents want to live and work. We need to create a climate that allows our youth to get an education, find jobs, and pursue happiness with less government, less taxes, and more personal freedom. This is how we honor the promises made to the generations who got us here.[6] |
” |
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 12 to December 28.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on labor issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on a number of bills selected by the editor of MIRS, a state capitol newsletter.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 10 through December 31.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 11 through December 31.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 13 through December 31.
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See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 26, 2020
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 official general election results," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Candidate Listing," accessed April 22, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Michigan Secretary of State, "2016 Michigan Election Results," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Jeff Yaroch, "Issues," accessed June 23, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Michigan House of Representatives District 33 2017-2023 |
Succeeded by Felicia Brabec (D) |
