Rachel Hood
2023 - Present
2025
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Rachel Hood (Democratic Party) is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 81. She assumed office on January 1, 2023. Her current term ends on January 1, 2025.
Hood (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 81. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on August 6, 2024.
Biography
Rachel Hood was born in Livonia, Michigan, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hood earned a bachelor's degree in public policy from Michigan State University in 1999. Her career experience includes working as a strategist with Dig Deep Research, a community relations manager with Metro Health Hospital, and a nonprofit executive.[1][2] Hood co-created Local First of West Michigan and served as the executive director of the West Michigan Environmental Action Council and the West Grand Neighborhood Organization.[2]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Hood was assigned to the following committees:
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2021-2022
Hood was assigned to the following committees:
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2019-2020
Hood was assigned to the following committees:
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Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Stephen Wooden defeated Jordan Youngquist in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Stephen Wooden (D)  | 57.1 | 29,525 |
 | Jordan Youngquist (R) | 42.9 | 22,162 | |
| Total votes: 51,687 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Stephen Wooden advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Stephen Wooden | 100.0 | 10,476 |
| Total votes: 10,476 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Rachel Hood (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Jordan Youngquist advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jordan Youngquist | 100.0 | 7,899 |
| Total votes: 7,899 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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2022
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Incumbent Rachel Hood defeated Lynn Afendoulis in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Rachel Hood (D) | 55.7 | 26,169 |
 | Lynn Afendoulis (R) | 44.3 | 20,835 | |
| Total votes: 47,004 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Incumbent Rachel Hood advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rachel Hood | 100.0 | 9,074 |
| Total votes: 9,074 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Emily Lombard (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81
Lynn Afendoulis advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 81 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lynn Afendoulis | 100.0 | 11,574 |
| Total votes: 11,574 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
To view Hood's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.
2020
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Incumbent Rachel Hood defeated Doug Zandstra in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rachel Hood (D) | 62.8 | 33,887 |
 | Doug Zandstra (R) | 37.2 | 20,111 | |
| Total votes: 53,998 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Incumbent Rachel Hood advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rachel Hood | 100.0 | 13,763 |
| Total votes: 13,763 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Doug Zandstra advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doug Zandstra | 100.0 | 8,243 |
| Total votes: 8,243 | |||
| = 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 finance
Endorsements
To view Hood's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
- LEAP Forward[3]
2018
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2018
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Rachel Hood defeated Amanda Brand in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rachel Hood (D) | 60.9 | 27,009 |
| Amanda Brand (R) | 39.1 | 17,366 | |
| Total votes: 44,375 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Rachel Hood advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rachel Hood | 100.0 | 12,897 |
| Total votes: 12,897 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76
Amanda Brand advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 76 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Amanda Brand | 100.0 | 7,430 |
| Total votes: 7,430 | |||
| = 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
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rachel Hood did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Rachel Hood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hood's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Serving the Grand Rapids community is Rachel’s way of life. She has led and contributed to initiatives in West Michigan for over twenty years. Since January of 2019, she has proudly served as the Representative of the 76th district. In this role, she is a member of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, and subcommittees of the Department of Health and Human Services, School Aid & Education, and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Rachel and her husband Dave are small business owners and the parents of two young women, ages 11 & 13.
Rachel’s professional career includes consulting at Dig Deep Research, helping small and mid-sized cities finance and deliver water infrastructure projects. Rachel is best known for her decade of work at the West Michigan Environmental Action Council where she shaped policy and community programming around energy efficiency, clean energy, and watershed protection. Early career stops include West Grand Neighborhood Organization where Rachel worked on community development and crime prevention and Metro Health Hospital where she was the Community Relations Manager. Rachel is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University where she studied Social Policy.
- Supercharge Michigan’s Economy- It is time to make smart economic development investments that will incentivize companies to do business in our great state.
- World Class Public Education- We must ensure Michigan’s students, parents, and teachers have the resources they need to succeed. This includes investments in early childhood & affordable childcare, career & tech education, and teacher attraction & retention
- Protect choice– Enshrine the right to chose, which has stood and been reaffirmed many times over the last 50 years, in Michigan's laws.
Michigan needs tweaks to maximize our competitive edge in the 21st Century. In order to accomplish this, our communities must be attractive places to raise families, live, work and play. Preparing our state for its future as a refuge from climate change impact is my core focus. In order to achieve that vision, Michigan must have great schools, a dynamic workforce, and vibrant local economies; Accessible, affordable healthcare and environmental justice; Clean energy, and protected watersheds. I am humbled to have a career that is a direct reflection of my longtime passions and commitment to vibrant communities and abundant natural resources.
My ability to listen and translate issues to policy solutions. My experiences as a mother and as a caretaker of seniors have been very influential in forming my legislative priorities as well.
Cleaner water, cleaner air, lead-free communities, top-tier schools, thriving local economies, recreational spaces, an innovative and caring agricultural economy, and a responsible, balanced budget.
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.
2020
Rachel Hood completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hood's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Serving the Grand Rapids community is Rachel's way of life. She has led and contributed to initiatives in West Michigan for nearly twenty years. Since January of 2019 she has proudly served as the Representative of the 76th district. In this role she is a member of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, and subcommittees of School Aid & Education, Natural Resources & Environment, Joint Capital Outlay, and Military, Vets & State Police. Rachel and her husband Dave are raising two girls, ages 9 & 11. Dave launched his business, City Built Brewing in 2016. Rachel's professional career includes consulting at Dig Deep Research, helping small and mid-sized cities finance and deliver water infrastructure projects. Rachel is best known for her decade of work at the West Michigan Environmental Action Council where she shaped policy and community programming around energy efficiency, clean energy, and watershed protection. Early career stops include West Grand Neighborhood Organization where Rachel worked on community development and crime prevention and Metro Health Hospital where she was the Community Relations Manager. Rachel is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University where she studied Social Policy.
- We must get Michigan's economy back on track, post-COVID-19, with an emphasis on supporting local businesses.
- We have to protect and improve our state's education system, including job training and post-secondary degree completion.
- We must ensure affordable, accessible health care and healthy, just and livable communities for all.
Michigan needs tweaks to maximize our competitive edge in the 21st Century. In order to accomplish this, our communities must be attractive places to raise families, live, work and play. Preparing our state for its future as a refuge from climate change impact is my core focus. In order to achieve that vision, Michigan must have: Great schools, a dynamic workforce and vibrant local economies; Accessible, affordable healthcare and environmental justice; Clean energy and protected watersheds. I am humbled to have a career that is a direct reflection of my longtime passions and commitment to vibrant communities and abundant natural resources.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Supreme Court Justice. She leads in a way that others can follow, remained true to her values throughout her career, and delivered creative and sustainable changes to the world through a career intentionally designed for impact.
Honesty, integrity and persistence
My ability to listen and translate issues to policy solutions.
To listen, empower others, act for change, and continually inform constituents of progress - both good and bad.
Cleaner water, Cleaner Air, Lead-free communities, top tier schools, thriving local economies and a responsible, balanced budget
My first impressionable historic experience was watching the failed Challenger space launch in 4th grade, age 9. My fourth grade teacher was a finalist for the seat Christa McCauliffe earned, and was at Cape Canaveral at the time of the explosion. Our entire school was watching the launch and we, like many other school children across the country were deeply saddened at the loss.
My first job was as a nanny for a family of three boys. I did this work through high school and throughout college.
Work/Life balance is my biggest struggle
Michigan's State House and Senate share similarities, but have many differences. I see the House as a fast-acting center for rapid fire ideas from 110 members, whereas the Senate is designed to be a more deliberative body.
Yes. Good policy doesn't arrive overnight. Involving stakeholders and working with the law to arrive at meaningful improvements takes experience, skill and practice. As a first term legislator, I've watched my colleagues with legislative staff experience excel quickly to advance their constituent priorities. While experience isn't necessary, it does help accelerate an individual's ability to have impact in their role.
Michigan needs to address two decades of lost revenue growth in order to invest in the infrastructure and services that will make us successful in the 21st Century.
Ideally the Governor's administration is working hand in hand to elevate the state through executive powers, working in-step with legislative leaders. We do our best work when both the executive and legislature are aligned to negotiate solutions to achieve our goals.
Maintaining positive relationships - especially across party lines - is critical for legislators. This requires the ability to put the greater good above one's self, and the ability to navigate conflict and disagreement with professionalism. It requires coming back to the table willing to compromise, even when you disagree with an approach. Making a bill 'less bad' is a skill that requires one to be articulate, discrete and strategic.
Michigan's values come to life in our budget priorities. I appreciate being a member of the appropriations committee to ensure that we are living our values and following through on our promises, by prioritizing spending on the things that matter most to the people of Michigan.
Yes, I am interested in playing a larger role in leading policy efforts for my caucus.
I take inspiration from a variety of legislators whom I've been exposed to over time. Congressman Vern Ehlers and Senator Debbie Stabenow served as early role models - particularly in their fights for the Great Lakes. Senator Stabenow's work on agriculture and the Farm Bill have been fascinating to watch because she has gained so much respect across party boundaries for her effective work on behalf of Michigan.
I am open to the possibility of running for higher office in the future, should my community continue to appreciate my work and service, and walk alongside me in the effort.
In my time in service, I have heard many stories, but one story evolved into a relationship that is particularly meaningful. I met a foster mother who has struggled over decades to meet the needs of her three foster children, one of whom has severe mental health challenges. Elevating her story has impacted positive changes in our child protective service system, some of which are underway inside the department, other components that require adjustments to Michigan laws, which we hope to unveil over the final months of my term. This woman remains a champion and encourager, regularly texting me to encourage and uplift me during my time in service. I am grateful to her for trusting me with her family's story, remaining patient as the speed of change is never fast enough, and remaining encouraging when she - more than most - has reason to be discouraged. Her weekly texts keep me humbled, inspired, and rooted in a service mind-frame. The success we created together keeps me hopeful through dark moments. Systems can be changed for the better, and her story is proof.
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.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 11 to November 14.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 12 to December 28.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Michigan House of Representatives District 81 |
Officeholder Michigan House of Representatives District 81 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 29, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan House Democrats, "Meet Rep. Hood," accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ LEAP Forward, "6. ENDORSEMENTS," accessed June 30, 2020
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gary Eisen (R) |
Michigan House of Representatives District 81 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Winnie Brinks (D) |
Michigan House of Representatives District 76 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by - |
