Michigan › Kent County › Michigan Senate District 20
3 candidates are tracked for Michigan Senate District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Dale Murney, Chris Moraitis and Shamara Clay. Candidate information follows official Kent County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
The 20th District covers southern Kent County (including Byron and Gaines townships), much of Allegan County, nearly all of Van Buren County and part of Berrien County, per Wikipedia's district article. Sitting Republican Sen. Aric Nesbitt is not on the November ballot for this seat; the district is open between Democrat Dale Murney and Republican Chris Moraitis, with Green nominee Shamara Clay also on the ballot, per the Kent County Clerk's official candidate list.
Dale Murney is a former attorney referee for the Berrien County Trial Court, per BallotReady, running for Michigan Senate District 20. He holds a J.D. from the University of Kansas and a bachelor's degree in public administration and sociology from Western Michigan University, per BallotReady. Dale Murney appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 20, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.
2026 priorities
- Increase hiring and retention of certified teachers by paying a living wage, per the campaign site
- Expand vocational education programs to build labor-ready skills, per the campaign site
- Increase affordable housing options through streamlined zoning and builder incentives, per the campaign site
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-04.
Campaign site →
Chris Moraitis is a Paw Paw, Michigan attorney who has served as president of the Van Buren County Bar Association and the Paw Paw Downtown Development Authority, per the Herald-Palladium. Chris Moraitis appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 20, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 4, 2026. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 4, 2026.
2026 priorities
- Strengthening schools, per Herald-Palladium questionnaire coverage
- Growing Michigan's economy, per Herald-Palladium questionnaire coverage
- Restoring local control, per Herald-Palladium questionnaire coverage
Shamara Clay appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Michigan Senate District 20, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 4, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Shamara Clay.
