Ryan Kost

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Ryan Kost

Nonpartisan

Lansing City Council Ward 1

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Brian Daniels

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 7, 2023

Personal

Birthplace

Lansing, Mich.

Profession

Government

Contact

Campaign Facebook

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Ryan Kost is a member of the Lansing City Council in Michigan, representing Ward 1. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on December 31, 2027.

Kost ran for re-election to the Lansing City Council to represent Ward 1 in Michigan. He won in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Kost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ryan Kost was born in Lansing, Michigan. His career experience includes working in government.

Kost has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• State of Michigan, UAW
• Tri-County Office on Aging
• Michigan Works
• Eastside Neighborhood
• VFW Men's Auxiliary Post 701
• North Lansing Moose Lodge

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Lansing, Michigan (2023)

General election

General election for Lansing City Council Ward 1

Incumbent Ryan Kost defeated Michael VandeGuchte in the general election for Lansing City Council Ward 1 on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan Kost (Nonpartisan)	76.6	2,463
		Michael VandeGuchte (Nonpartisan)	23.1	744
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	8

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,215
= 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.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Lansing City Council Ward 1

Incumbent Ryan Kost and Michael VandeGuchte defeated D. Taft in the primary for Lansing City Council Ward 1 on August 8, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan Kost (Nonpartisan)	71.6	1,807
✔		Michael VandeGuchte (Nonpartisan)	18.6	469
		D. Taft (Nonpartisan)	9.8	248

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,524
= 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.

Endorsements

Kost received the following endorsements.

• Greater Lansing Building Trades Council
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 352
• Lansing Firefighters Association Local 421
• United Auto Workers
• Greater Lansing Association of Realtors
• Humane Society
• Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce

2022

See also: City elections in Lansing, Michigan (2022)

General election

Special general election for Lansing City Council Ward 1

Ryan Kost defeated incumbent Brian Daniels in the special general election for Lansing City Council Ward 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan Kost (Nonpartisan)	49.7	3,764
	Submit photo	Brian Daniels (Nonpartisan)	49.0	3,709
		Other/Write-in votes	1.3	101

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,574
= 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.

Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for Lansing City Council Ward 1

Incumbent Brian Daniels and Ryan Kost defeated D. Taft in the special primary for Lansing City Council Ward 1 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Brian Daniels (Nonpartisan)	52.9	1,751
✔		Ryan Kost (Nonpartisan)	35.5	1,175
		D. Taft (Nonpartisan)	10.8	359
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	28

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,313
= 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.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ryan Kost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kost'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 am a 4th Generation Lansing resident and the current 1st Ward Council Member. I have fought for better housing, more money in our roads and sidewalks, world class parks, and investing in our neighborhoods. I have been able to secure many new investments in our housing and parks. I have also made the seat I was elected to transparent again and returned stability to it. I look forward to serving the people of Lansing.

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?

• Investing in Neighborhoods and our residents
• investing in our roads and sidewalks
• Investing in our housing to end the crisis

Community Question Featured local question

Did the COVID-19 pandemic change your approach to local policy issues? If so, please give us an example. If not, why?

no

Community Question Featured local question

Do you believe crime rates are changing? Where do you get your crime rate data from? Would you make any changes to existing public safety policy?

I believe crime is never going to be all gone. I believe that many issues that are labeled as a crime are mental health issues that get ignored. I look at the data from LPD and I do believe we are headed in the right direction but we have hurdles and I am ready to jump each one.

Community Question Featured local question

Do you think the downtown area is healthy? What is your definition of a healthy downtown? What changes, if any, would you like to make?

Yes I think Downtown Lansing is coming back. I also think there is potential to have a boom in our city of small local business. I keep in contact with the local business in the 1st Ward and make sure their needs are being met and address any issues they have. We must support them and it will show we care about our small business and it will create growth.

Community Question Featured local question

How important is it to involve residents in the government’s decision-making process? What plans do you have regarding resident involvement in this process?

It is the reason I hold this office. people must and always will have a voice with me. I have been transparent holding monthly meetings, posting info regularly on social media, and returning every call that I have received.

Community Question Featured local question

How should record requests from the public be handled? Do you have any policies around transparency and accountability you want to enact?

They should receive what they ask for. I have had to push FOIA requests for residents several times and that process should not drag on the way it does now and I have been pushing back to make it much faster.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

We need to fill the massive hole we have in our departments, fire and police. We also need to start being proactive and not reactive to issues. We preserved increasing their funding this year and that is the right choice. We also need to hold them accountable when they make mistakes but not just that person but the people who made that culture possible. I also believe we need to put more focus on social workers and neighborhood policing, we currently have 8 of the 12 spots filled.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you balance the needs and desires of existing business and housing communities with new development? Would you take gentrification and displacement into consideration when planning neighborhood development?

already responded.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you set priorities and develop plans in a way that will reflect community values and goals?

Again everything I do is for the people I represent and not my personal beliefs. The people of the 1st Ward know they can pickup the phone and call me and I will be on the other end for them every time. To me the value of the people is my top concern.

Community Question Featured local question

What do you think about the city's current approach to public safety? Would you take any different positions?

I think the approach is the correct one with the shortages we have in police and fire. We still need to try to do our best and better everyday.

Community Question Featured local question

What do you think about the city's environmental health? Would you make any changes to current policy?

I believe Lansing should be working to make things more eco friendly. We need to and are expanding biking and walking paths. This is a car city but we have a chance to change that and it is coming.

Community Question Featured local question

What plans do you have regarding infrastructure?

I have made it a priority that we cut wasteful spending of our dollars and put more money into infrastructure. I refused to cut the budget for our public service department as we need them more then ever. We also need to look to the state and federal government for that money. We need to create a trash system that is universal and we are currently looking at that. The old ways are gone.

Community Question Featured local question

What plans do you have regarding the police department? Would you make any changes from current policy?

At this time we are increasing their funding, as well as fire, to get more social workers and community police on the streets.

Community Question Featured local question

What policies would you have implemented in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why did you select those policies?

We have no polices active in Lansing.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about people. that starts with a great neighborhood and you can't have that if housing is unsafe. We are in a red tag crisis and we need to clean it up and tell these slumlords their meal ticket is over. These are people they are using and only see them as $. I have fought hard in my time in office to turn this around and we are making headway. I am passionate about our parks. We have so many green spaces and we need to see them activated. I was able to activate several parks with new items this spring and will continue to do that.

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

na

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

I look up to my Grandmother, who is gone now. She was a neighborhood advocate in Lansing for decades and pushed me towards a life of service to others.

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

No I don't think so. This is real life and I can't pretend to be something I am not.

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

Honesty, transparency, and listening.

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

I am honest. I tell people the truth and I stand by my word. I am a workhorse and will work until its done to help people. I have helped hundreds of residents already and work everyday on issues. I don't take time off as the community is 24-7.

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

Make ordinances, pass resolutions, pass a budget, and provide services to residents or connect them to the service.

What legacy would you like to leave?

To leave Lansing a better place that loves its people again.

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

I remember the debate in 1992 that happened in East Lansing. I was 4.

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

I started out at 16 like most kids at McDonalds.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I enjoy books on history. I don't read as much as I would like.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Mickey Mouse.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Wasteland by 10 Years

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

I have been very lucky in my life. I struggle seeing what we can be and how we treat our residents and I want to change that.

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

That we pass the budget and control the money. That is when the important stands mean something.

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

No. I did not have experience but I also got involved. I do believe you need to be involved with your community and understand the issues. You need a reason to run and it has to be the people and a belief you can serve them the best and truly care. That is why I ran.

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

I believe you have to know your community. The people who live in that community and have an understanding of the needs they have. One size fits all is not a option here.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I am always the guy that when I see a stud finder I pass it along my chest and it lights up and say ope a stud!! Thats a total dad joke...

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.

Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.

2022

Ryan Kost completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kost'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 am a 4th generation 1st ward resident who has been out in our community working to make it better and am fed up with the same old responses or none at all from our local government. The Local government has stopped listening to the people and I want to be there voice, its not mine. I will lead not from the front but side by side with the residents of the first ward as equals to take back and improve our community.

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?

• Housing is in a pandemic. We have houses that have been tagged for years and left to decay all around the 1st ward. We also have major issues with houses that are being rented and not inspected. many times those houses are inhumane to the resident. We need to end the cycle of abuse of our citizens when it comes to housing. We should all have the right to live in a save and affordable place.
• Parks are the key to any city. It seems only the select few get the attention they need and others get ignored and those are the parks that are used the most. We must bring back balance to how we spend park money and find creative ways to improve our parks as well. We do this together because the parks are for all of Lansing. We used to have world class parks and we can again. I spent much time touring park systems across the state and we can benefit from what they are doing and how they are doing it.
• Trash. We need a better system then we have in place now. Dumping is so common they have a list of the hottest dump spots. This has to end. I have been working with the public service board members to find a creative solution and reaching out to other city officials around Michigan to see what they do. We can find a solution and will.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about giving a real voice to the people. Every vote I take will be based on the peoples voice in the 1st ward. We need to start betting on them. It is their voice not mine and I want to be that voice. Too long have we been ignored and I will work everyday to end that. The tired old line of roads, public safety, and neighborhoods has been on mail flyers for years, I know I dug up some old ones, and little has ever been done in these areas once we elect someone. I am passionate when I ask for your vote in November that I will not just disappear I am going to be in the community constantly and keep the conversation going and will hit our issues head on as I have already been doing as a private citizen.

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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Footnotes

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Preceded by Brian Daniels	Lansing City Council Ward 1 2023-Present	Succeeded by -