Londeau, Coleman winners in primary mayoral race

Mayor Michael P. Londeau              Rep.Kevin Coleman 

Interim Westland Mayor Michael P. Londeau and State Rep. Kevin Coleman were the top choices of voters during the primary election last week.

The Aug. 6 election reduced the field of candidates seeking the top job in the city from six to only Londeau and Coleman. The two will face off in the general election set for Nov. 7 and the winner will become the first newly elected mayor in Westland in nearly 20 years.

The mayor's job became vacant when four-term Mayor William Wild resigned mid-term to join the private sector. Members of the city council in January chose Londeau to serve as interim mayor until the next election in the city.  

Londeau and Coleman each launched vigorous campaigns to become the leading executive in the city of 85,000 residents. Londeau received 4,646 votes while Coleman was the choice of 4,304 voters. Votes were cast by only about 15 percent of those registered in the city. The Westland mayor is paid about $126,281 annually while the salary of a state representative is listed on the website as $71,877.

Primary mayoral candidate Jim Godbout received 837 votes; Ali Awadi received 465 votes; Anthony Jones, 146 votes and Ronald Sassak, 46 votes.

Prior to being elected to city council in 2017, Londeau, 44, served as the chairman of the Westland Downtown Development Authority (DDA), a member of the Westland Master Plan Steering Committee, board member of the Westland Youth Assistance Advisory Committee, member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council;  the Westland Masterplan Steering Committee, the Youth Assistance Advisory Council and served as chairman of the Downtown Development Authority. In 2017, residents elected him to the Westland City Council where he served for five years, including three years as president pro-tem. 

Coleman, 40, was defeated in his first mayoral campaign in 2017. He is currently serving his third term as a state representative, his first in the newly-created 25th House District. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University, attended the Lee Honors College and served one 4-year term on the Westland City Council.

Prior to seeking public office, Coleman spent several years working in the community on the Westland Festival Committee and the Westland Veterans Association.