A primary election for the 166su City Council begins in less than a month, as voters prepare to elect four out of seven council seats, including the position of mayor, in November.
The city Democratic and Republican parties recently finalized their council candidates.
Democrats will vote in a partywide primary June 18, choosing three of the following four candidates: Jamaal Jackson, Terry McGuire, Phazhon Nash and Ben Woods.
Two Democratic council members — Luke Priddy and Trish White-Boyd — are not running for reelection.
Early voting for the Democratic primary starts May 3, said Mark Lazar, city party chair.
“We look forward to a spirited, positive campaign,” Lazar said. “All of those candidates will be looking for people’s support.”
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Two Republicans, Jim Garrett and Nick Hagen, entered as candidates for city council. They will advance directly to the November general election ballot.
“We’re getting some really good feedback from voters in our door-knocking,” city GOP Chairman Charlie Nave said. “We’re looking forward to an encouraging November.”
For the city council’s top post, three well-known candidates announced their campaigns weeks ago.
Republicans have nominated David Bowers, a former mayor who was previously elected as a Democrat and an independent, while the Democratic nominee is Joe Cobb, the city’s vice mayor. City Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds is an independent candidate for mayor, making it a three-person race.
Among the Democrats, Jackson is lead pastor at ReFreshing Church, McGuire is a community organizer and federal policy advocate, Nash is a Carilion hospital administrator, and Woods is a small business owner with political organizing experience.
Of the Republicans, Garrett is President of Kinex Telecom and Hagen is a property developer and cannabis attorney.
Jackson, McGuire, Garrett and Hagen are running again after previous unsuccessful attempts to be elected to city council.
It’s been 20 years since the most recent Republican, one-term Mayor Ralph Smith, held office in 166su. But Bowers, who served three prior terms as mayor and ran unsuccessfully for city council since, wrote in a recent email that voters want new direction.
“Our Republican ticket, although admittedly running as the underdog in a Democratic stronghold, is, I believe, just the medicine 166su needs NOW to do things differently,” Bowers wrote. “In a different way, and in a better way.”
Cobb and Moon-Reynolds say they look forward to what the mayor’s race will bring.
More people could still announce campaigns for mayor or city council, as independent candidates have until 7 p.m. June 18 to file, said city Registrar Andrew Cochran. The deadline for candidates to file as Republicans or Democrats was last week.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
The 166su Times will be published more on the candidates and the issues in the coming months.