Tony Anderson for Elk Rapids Village Trustee
A trustee who will think of every citizen: the loud, the quiet, the young, the old, those in the room and those who are not.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Why I'm running
We will disagree at times. We will agree at times. We will be a team every time. Tony Anderson
What will your vote get you? A trustee who will think of every citizen, the loud, the quiet, the young, the old, those in the room and those who are not. I will make mistakes. I will own them. I will learn. I will get better.
When I lose a vote, I will support those in the majority and move forward. When my arguments win the day, I will respect those on the other side and move forward. I will see the village president and other trustees as a team.
While the citizens of the village will vote for individuals, they should remember they are building a team one vote at a time. It's how, together, we build a village council that will move Elk Rapids forward. With your vote, I would be proud to be on that team.
Meet Tony
Tony has been married to his last prom date, Mary, for over 42 years. They have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Two of their kids and 4 of their grandkids live right here in the village of Elk Rapids.
Forty years in member-owned cooperatives
Tony spent his career in electric cooperatives, where the people served are also the owners and elect the board. He started as a billing clerk and finished leading the national association.
- Billing clerk, Moreau-Grand Electric CooperativeTimber Lake, South Dakota, his hometown
- Office manager, then general managerCo-ops in Montana, Wyoming and Wisconsin
- General Manager, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, 2003 to 2023Grand Traverse region
- 58 employees
- $60 million annual budget
- 7 elected board members
- 38,000 member-owners
- President, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 2023 to 2025The national association for 900 electric co-ops serving 42 million rural Americans in 48 states. Its 48-member board oversees more than 800 employees and over $250 million in annual revenue.
A lifetime of showing up
Firefighter, EMT, referee, Rotarian, fundraiser. Tony has served wherever he has lived.
51 marathons, 50 states plus D.C.
Marathon4Kids
From 2003 through May 2020, Tony ran a marathon in every state and the District of Columbia. Along the way he raised over $900,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan.
Over $2.4 million raised since 2022
Cooperative Family Fund
Tony founded the Cooperative Family Fund, a 501(c)(3) that helps kids who have lost a parent employed by one of the nation's 900 electric cooperatives. He serves as its board president and volunteer executive director.
Volunteer firefighter
17 years in Montana, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Michigan
Emergency Medical Technician
10 years in Montana, Wyoming and Wisconsin
Basketball referee
10 years of junior high and high school games
Elk Rapids Rotarian
Current member
Traverse City Area Chamber
Past president; 2018 Distinguished Service Award
Michigan Volunteer of the Year
2012 Governor's Service Awards
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Make your voting plan
Three Village Trustee seats are on the ballot, so you can vote for up to three candidates. Here's how to make sure your vote counts.
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Check your registration
Confirm you're registered at your Elk Rapids address and see your polling place. You can still register in person at your clerk's office through Election Day with proof of residency.
Check my registration -
Vote early or absentee
Michigan offers at least nine days of in-person early voting, October 24 through November 1. Or request an absentee ballot and return it to your clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Early and absentee voting -
Vote on November 3
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Many village voters vote at the Elk Rapids Government Center, 315 Bridge Street. Confirm your location before you go.
Find my polling place
Questions about voting? Call the Elk Rapids Township Clerk at 231-264-9333. Early voting sites and hours are set by the county, so check with your clerk for details.
Join the team
Village races are won by neighbors talking to neighbors. Sign up to get campaign updates or lend a hand before November 3.
- Hand out postcards or knock on a few doors
- Ask Tony a question about the village