Rosalyn Bliss makes Grand Rapids history as first female mayor of GR

A day after her 40th birthday, Rosalynn Bliss has been elected the city's 59th mayor, and she becomes the first female to win the job.

Rosalynn Bliss introduced as Grand Rapids mayor-elect Bliss received two-thirds of the vote Tuesday, Aug. 4, to win the city's mayoral primary election.

A commissioner representing the city's Second Ward since 2006, Bliss received solid support throughout Grand Rapids and cruised past the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff election in November. Runner-up Robert Dean, a former city commissioner and state lawmaker, received 30 percent of the vote while John George and Willard Lee had little impact with a combined 4 percent.

Article here (via mlive).

Related: This election means that a seat will be available on the Grand Rapids City Commission, second ward. Who will be appointed? Mayor Heartwell continues to serve as mayor until January, then is unseated by Bliss. Anyone who's at least 18 years old and who has lived for at least six months in the city's Second Ward, which is mostly east of the Grand River north of Wealthy Street, is eligible for appointment..