SPARTA, MI - A candidate who would have been the state's first openly transgender elected official with a victory instead finished last out of six candidates for township trustee today.

Gidget Groendyk, whose name appeared on Tuesday, Aug. 2, primary ballots with the subtitle "Formerly: Scott Wade Langford," fell 360 votes shy of winning a seat on the board. But she plans to run again, next time for township supervisor.

"I should have stuck with it," said Groendyk, who initially filed as a candidate for supervisor and then withdrew and decided instead to run for trustee to get some experience. "Quite frankly, I think I could do a better job (than the incumbent supervisor) already.

"I'll run again."

Groendyk, 45, had planned to push for Sparta to enact a local ordinance prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people on housing and jobs - two areas not covered by the state's civil rights law. She also wanted to give elderly landowners a break on property taxes.

But only 4.4 percent of the votes were cast for Groendyk in the rural township northwest of Grand Rapids. Four trustee seats were available, but her 114 votes fell far short of the frontrunners.

Jason Bradford (591 votes), incumbent William Goodfellow (567), incumbent Rob Steffens (531) and Chad Momber (474) won the GOP nominations. Incumbent Rober Maier (320 votes) finished fifth. There are no Democrats on the ballot in Sparta.

Incumbent township Supervisor Dale Bergman was unopposed in winning the Republican nomination to another 4-year term.

No transgender person has been elected in Michigan, according to Transgender Michigan, a group that provides a helpline for transgender people.

"A lot of people think that that it really isn't possible in Michigan, yet," Executive Director Rachel Crandall said. "Once it actually happens, more (transgender) people may want to run."