Scott Sessions served as mayor from 2013-2017. Thomas McKenna | Collegian

Hillsdale County Sheriff Scott Hodshire endorsed former mayor Scott Sessions for mayor of Hillsdale earlier this month.

“I’m honored and thankful to have the endorsement of Sheriff Scott Hodshire, the leading law enforcement officer for Hillsdale County,” Sessions told The Collegian. “I am extremely proud of his endorsement, and I thank him so much.”

Sessions will face Ward 2 Councilman Matthew Bentley in the mayoral election. Whoever wins this election will serve a year-long term and could choose to run in the August primary and November general election in 2026 to serve another four years.

Hodshire has served as sheriff in the county since he was elected in 2020. Hodshire also endorsed President Donald Trump during last year’s Republican primary, The Collegian previously reported.

The former mayor has also acquired the endorsements of former Ward 3 city councilman Bruce Sharp, former mayoral candidate Cathy Kelemen, and Barry Hill, a board member of the Local Development Finance Authority.

Kelemen ran in the August mayoral primary but did not earn enough votes to make the November ballot.

“As you consider your vote — I’d ask that you consider casting your vote for Scott Sessions,” Kelemen said on social media Oct. 21.

Sessions, who served as mayor 2013-2017, told The Collegian last week he’s running for mayor again after the “political nightmare” and “toxic work environment” that he said some councilmembers, including his opponent, have created for city staff.

He also said the council and staff “worked together very well” and “got a lot of things accomplished” when he was mayor.

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