Rick McKiddy (Sterling Heights City Council At-large, Michigan, candidate 2025)

Rick McKiddy

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Sterling Heights City Council At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 5, 2025

Education

High school

Miamisburg High School

Associate

Sinclair Communty College, 1989

Bachelor's

Wayne State University, 2002

Graduate

Wayne State University, 2010

Personal

Birthplace

Dayton, Ohio

Religion

Non-Denominational

Profession

Real Estate Broker

Contact

Campaign website

Rick McKiddy ran for election to the Sterling Heights City Council At-large in Michigan. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.

McKiddy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Rick McKiddy provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 23, 2025:

• Birth date: March 23, 1957
• Birth place: Dayton, Ohio
• High school: Miamisburg High School
• Associate: Sinclair Communty College, 1989
• Bachelor's: Wayne STate Universtiy, 2002
• Graduate: Wayne State University, 2010
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Non-Denominational
• Profession: Real Estate Broker
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: We are all on this earth to serve others
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for Sterling Heights City Council At-large (6 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Sterling Heights City Council At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Daniel Acciacca (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Teri Brinker (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Deanna Koski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Rick McKiddy (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Robert Mijac (Nonpartisan)
		Michael V. Radtke Jr. (Nonpartisan)
		Jackie Ryan (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Maria G. Schmidt (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Liz Sierawski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Moira Smith (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Henry Yanez (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Barbara A. Ziarko (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= 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.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Sterling Heights City Council At-large (6 seats)

The following candidates ran in the primary for Sterling Heights City Council At-large on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Daniel Acciacca (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Teri Brinker (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Deanna Koski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Rick McKiddy (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Robert Mijac (Nonpartisan)
		Michael V. Radtke Jr. (Nonpartisan)
		Jackie Ryan (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Maria G. Schmidt (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Liz Sierawski (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Moira Smith (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Johnnie S. Townsend (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Henry Yanez (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Barbara A. Ziarko (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= 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.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for McKiddy in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Rick McKiddy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McKiddy's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I live in Sterling Heights Michigan with my wife Darlene of 49 years. Our son Michael graduated from Utica High School & he & his wife Lindsey also are Sterling Heights residents.

I was appointed to the UAW International Union in Detroit in 1992, where I was responsible for negotiating and enforcing contracts until I retired April 1, 2008. I attended Wayne State University where I earned both my bachelor's and master's Degrees. Focusing on Poly Sci and International Business. I taught classes at WSU from 2003-2008, in their Labor/Management School, and was a guest lecturer at UofM as well. In accepted a position with the Screen Actors Guild, as their North Region Executive where I was once again doing what I loved, negotiating and enforcing agreements. However, my parents' health declined, so in 2010 we moved to Ohio to assist with their care. After their passing, we moved, back to Sterling Heights to be close to our son and his wife. I was raised to believe that we are all put on this earth to serve others, and I have spent my life doing so. I have taught school, coached sports, Volunteered at Hospice built wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans, and I am a member of and active with the Gold Star Family Association.

I am running for City Council to continue serving others, and I know I can make a difference.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Transparency! There are tax increases coming that most residents are not aware of, you soon will. Do you know when you buy a home or sell your home, a buyer will be hit with a top up tax that increases their monthly payment? We need a council that stands with Veterans and Supports affordable housing especially for Seniors, and we need to create the right environment that promotes growth and opportunities within our city that young people don't have to leave our city or state to find a job that will allow them to live the American Dream And we need to fully fund and staff the Police and Fire departments as our first responders keep us safe and we need to assure their safety as well
• Accountability: Simply said not only will I be accountable for my actions and votes, i will expose any back door deals being made so that our citizens are aware of decisions that may affect their lives before those decisions are made
• Stewardship: I will do my best to assure that our tax dollars are spent for the betterment of the community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The various ways we as citizens are being taxed has to be addressed and I will fight to do so. I will seek support from the council and representatives from Lansing to find a solution. Also, the safety of our community, is a big issue with me, rather than PAY a huge salary for the City manager or hiring additional assistant city managers, i would have fought to hire more first responders.
And lastly, we need to find a way to provide affordable housing for our veterans, seniors and first-time buyers.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Tip O'Neal, speaking of the house for many years, once reminded us that all politics are local. The first line of hands-on representation is at the city council level.
The council not only work in the city buy they live in the city. They are your neighbors, they shop where you shop, they dine where you dine, they attend the same churches, their children go to same schools, the same sporting events. You can access them and seek their help in person as needed. They can't hide like many do once they are elected to state or federal position.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My oldest brother Sgt Gary Lee McKiddy was the kindest most caring person that you would ever meet. Being his little brother I would go with him wherever and whenever I could beg my way into his car. Gary never met a stranger, and would always stop to assist a person having car trouble or even those hitchhiking. Gary was alway going out of his way to help family or friends no matter what the task. Gary volunteered for the Army in 1969, and soon found himself in Vietnam. He served as a doorgunner on a small 3 person Helicopter and was assigned to the 1st of the 9th Calvary. Within 7 months he had flowned over 750 combat missions, and had earned 39 medals, 37 for heroism. On May 6, 1970 Garys Helicopter became under intense enemy fire and several hits cause the chopper to catch fire and crash. Gary was thrown or jumped free when the chopper hit the ground and was alive and although wounded he was safe. However, the copilot and pilot were trapped inside the buring wreckage and the ammo inside was cooking off at radom. Ignoring his own safety Gary returned to the inferno and was successful in pulling the copilot from the fire and carryied him to safety. After saving the copilot, Gary went back to the crash, running into the line of fire that was shooting out from the chopper, and somehow managed to lean in over the seat that he had just removed the copilot from, he had postioned himself across the pilot and was attempting to pull him from the fire, when the fuel cells exploded killing both men. My brother was 20 years old when he gave his life trying to save another. He is a true American Hero who was nominated for the Medal of Honor for his actions tho he has still not recieved it in over 55 years after his actions. I have always honored my brother by telling his story and only hope that I can serve others the way that he did growing up.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The film The Greatest Showman represents my political philosophy and I am not referering to the amazing songs and singing, but what I personally take from it. The story shows us that leadership should be visionary, unafraid to challenge the status quo. Its about embracing peoples differences, being inclusive and offering a helping hand up, and believing in the strength of community.
Thats how I want to serve, by building something bold and beautiful that says all are welcome.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, Accountability, Transparency, Stewardship, NOT FOR SALE!

It is my belief that we are all put on this earth to serve others and running for and being elected to public office is an honor and a privilege, allowing one to serve his neighbors, and the community. Think about it, your only job as an elected official is to help others find a solution and solve whatever problems they are dealing with.

Sadly, some after being elected to serve many times seem to believe that they no longer have to answer to the voters. They run on name recognition hoping the voters are not aware of some of the not so poplular things they may be doing. You can watch it unfold time after time when an elected official votes a certain way on an issue then changes their vote at a later date while claiming they did additional research leading to their new position, but can't or wont describe what they found that caused the change of their vote. I will always put the best interest of the community first, and simply said I will use the edicts of common sense be my guide, and not be influenced by campaign donations or backdoor deals

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am very empathic towards others and and i enjoy problem solving

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve the best interest of Society and to do so with Honor and Integrity.
And the way to serve is to assure that those who will be impacted by any decision being discussed, are included in the discussions before any decision is made

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the day President Kennedy was shot, I was 6 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working on farms with my older brothers. I was only 7 years old when I drove the tractor that pulled the hay wagon while the farmer and my brothers loaded the bails of hay on the wagon. As we finished a row, I would stand on the clutch and wait on one of them to come and turn the tractor to the next row, and my job was to keep it in a straight line. I continued to work on farms bailing hay, cutting tobacco, choping wood, to installing fencing till my Junior year in High School.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I find it hard to understand how anyone can hate another human being.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Every vote that a council has will have an impact on you, from taxes to how many first responders are needed to street repairs, to what it cost to take line dancing classes in addition to the fact that your tax dollars paid for the facility, at the community center, to the way our trash and recycling is handled, or even what the pay for a city manager and the assistant city manager will be. And even the salary for the city council is set by the city council.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

if you think about this question, how can one have previous experience with a specific job, unless you first get elected or are hired to do the job. Every leader, manager, employee was at some point a new hire and had to start somewhere.
However, in some cases, I believe that there are those who once in a position such as city council start looking for ways to use their positions to server themselves or family members, which is why many believe we need term limits. But to answer the actual question, I believe in Democracy and the fact that voters determine who they feel will best represent their beliefs and values, and the election is the screening process that has worked for our great country.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

As a representative for the UAW International Union, I spent my entire adult life negotiating contracts in an effort to support workers against mismanagement. It is mismanagement that causes companies to go out of business or cities to end up bankrupt, and when that happens workers lose their jobs.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

the city council is elected by the residents of a commuity providing voters direct accessiblity to those they elect.

The council is resposnible for making and passing local laws that impact citizens lives on a daily basis. The legislative powers allow the council to approve or deny business licensing, zoning, regulations, how local tax dollars are spent, and are charged with budgeting for public services including how many first responders the city has. The city council has the obligation to provide oversight and checks and balances on the city manager, holding them accountable and ensuring transparency.

The council members are the equivalant of a front line union rep as they are charged with swiftly bringing resolution to issues that the citizens bring to their attention. In summary the councils job is to make government work for the communities they represent.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The IBEW, AFA, UAW, Building Trades

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

the citizens have a right to know what their elected officials are doing as it pertains to what their role is in government. I believe in full transparency and being held accountable and responsible for the way tax dollars are spent.

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.

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Candidate

Sterling Heights City Council At-large

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