As the youngest person elected to the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, Rayonte D. Bell learned at the outset of his young political life the value of every single vote.

Bell was just 22 in his 2020 race with Republican Bruce Gorenflo after incumbent Bill Chickering retired. The contest ended in a 3,934-3,934 tie. On Nov. 16, the candidates pulled lots. Bell drew “not elected,” then sought a recount.

“The tie left me surprised,” he recalled, “because I didn’t really know what to expect that night. And after the pulling of the lots, I was a little disappointed that despite the hard work we did during the campaign, my fate was determined by a drawing. And even as I sought the recount, I was convinced that the results wouldn’t change and that Gorenflo would remain the declared winner. But I guess God had other plans, and four people in District 5 helped me get over the finish line. I will always use that story as an example of how much every vote matters in elections.”

As District 5 commissioner, Bell represents the City of St. Joseph and Precinct 1 (Fairplain) and Precinct 2 (including Shoreham) of St. Joseph Charter Township.

The Countryside connection

Bell, 25, attended Countryside Academy outside Benton Harbor for grades 9-12, graduating in 2017. Classmate Chokwe Pitchford represents District 3 after challenging incumbent Pauline Wendzel for state House in 2020.

“We’ve only grown closer as friends since then,” Bell said. “After transferring from SMC, and coming back to Benton Harbor during the summer of 2019, Chokwe had offered me the opportunity to join him, as he had been active in community organizing with community leaders like current state Rep. Joey Andrews, current Benton Harbor School Board Trustee Elnora Gavin and organizers Siobhan Leonard and Gwen Swanigan.

“At the time, none with of us were elected officials, but we were taking initiative to address certain issues in our community. Chokwe helped me get involved with the work he and these wonderful people were doing, and they have all been with me up to this point. We’re all good friends and help each other to help our community. Chokwe and I are working side by side on the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, trying to make society better the best way we can.”

Bell said his senior year at Countryside, SMC admissions advisor Marcus Roll sold him on the idea of getting a four-year college campus life experience at a two-year college at a fraction of the cost.

“We talked about my plans of pursuing architecture or engineering to eventually attend the University of Michigan,” Bell said, “and he told me I could take the prerequisite courses and transfer after two years.”

SMC developed his leadership skills

Bell honed his leadership skills at SMC, helping co-found a Black Student Union with Jarel Mills.

As a freshman, Bell got involved with AKO (Alpha Kappa Omega Bible Study Club). “Being led by our staff advisor, Rachel Breden, along with Pastor Jeff Whittaker, really allowed me to thrive as I continued to grow in my faith and helped me find a place on campus where I could share my love for God with other students, and even lead occasionally during campus worship services.”

Mills originated the idea of starting a Black Student Union, “and I thought it was a great opportunity for us to help our fellow students have a space where we can gather and share our experiences with one another,” Bell said. “Jarel and I were both coming into our sophomore year at SMC as student leaders of campus life,” Bell as Council of Clubs vice president.

“By being active as student leaders, we were able to use our social skills to gather other students and work with SMC staff, faculty and administration to help form the Black Student Union.”

Bell pursued engineering at SMC for three semesters, then transferred to Lake Michigan College to help his mother and younger siblings at home. After speaking with his academic advisor, he took prerequisite courses to transfer into Andrews University’s architecture program.

“Being part of the many things SMC campus life had to offer, I did live on campus,” Bell said. “That made it much easier to socialize with other students at SMC. By being active on campus, I was able to develop leadership skills and gain experience working with fellow students, taking advantage of the amount of help I received from instructors and building good rapport with school administration and staff. All of these are skills I’ve been able to use as a community leader. I have SMC to thank for that.”

“I believe my engagement comes from my love for helping people and my desire to help make life more fun and enjoyable for the people around me,” Bell said.

As a commissioner, Bell was appointed to the Finance Committee for 2024. He also serves on the Community Corrections Advisory Board; TwinCATS, a public transit study committee; Berrien County Mental Health Authority; Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health’s SUD (Substance Use Disorder) Board; Michigan Association of Counties; Judiciary and Public Safety Committee; Berrien County Broadband Internet Task Force; and an appointment to the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

What does Bell find gratifying about public service? “I love the fact that I am part of a team of community leaders who come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives in life, working together to make our community a better place to live, grow and prosper. It’s such a humbling experience to be able to serve our community every day.”

Restoring faith in government

“Many people either don’t really know what government does and how it impacts their lives, or they have lost faith in government, causing them to be rather apathetic and disengage.

“I strive to restore the public’s faith in our government and to help make our society better. I encourage my peers to remember that their voice matters. I would remind them that we are not only the future, but we are the present as well.

“When we decide to be involved and use our individual and collective voice, we hold the power to do anything. I would also emphasize the word ‘serve’ in public service. We are servants to the people who elect us, and stewards of taxpayer dollars. We must be honest, deliberate and determined to serve the citizens of our communities.”

Besides his duties as commissioner, Bell is a recruiter for the Michigan State AFL-CIO (The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) Workforce Development Institute for the Benton Harbor area.

“My job is to introduce a pathway into a career in the skilled trades industry,” he said. “Our nine-week training program prepares you with the necessary skills and knowledge to begin that journey into the trades as an apprentice. And we offer the training for free!”

Going forward, Bell said, “I see myself continuing my role as a servant, whether it is more in the church, in public office or in my family. Either way, I’m committed to leading and walking by faith, serving and helping people be their best selves and making life a little more fun, easier and better.”