Commissioner Ray Snell represents District 9 (PDF) which includes all of Blackman Township. 

Commissioner Ray Snell was elected in the November 3, 2020 election. 

Ray has lived in Jackson County and Blackman Township most of his adult life. He and his wife, Deb, have raised three children and have three wonderful granddaughters.

He is a graduate of Michigan Center High School and Jackson Community College. He has been a Realtor with EXIT Realty 1st since 2009. Ray has served on the Lansing Community College Real Estate Program Review Committee. 

Ray’s service to the community included his time on the JCC Citizen’s Advisory Committee which recommended that the College improve public engagement. Among other proposals, this included recommendations to bring back sports and build student housing which led to increased enrollment of student athletes and attracting new student enrollment.

Ray served as Blackman Township Clerk from 2000-2004 going on to then serve as Township Supervisor from 2004-2008. He was elected as a Director of the Michigan Association of Township Supervisors, serving 2007-2008. Ray is in his first term as a Jackson County Commissioner, having won the November 2020 election.

Ray served as a board member and is a past chairman of United Way of Jackson.

Ray continues to volunteer in the community; he is Vice-President for the Fuller Center for Housing of Jackson and also serves on the Equal Opportunity and the Governmental Affairs Committees for the Jackson Area Association of Realtors. 

As a County Commissioner, Ray serves on the LifeWays Board, LifeWays Program & Finance and Corporate Compliance subcommittees, FEMA Local Board, MI Works Southeast Board, City of Jackson LDFA/BRA Board, Region 2 Planning Commission, and the Board of Commissioners’ General Government and Human Services Committees. He is Vice Chairman of the Human Services Committee.

Ray welcomes comments and questions with the residents of District 9 about county issues.