It’s election season in Mississippi’s capital, and on Tuesday, voters will head to the polls to cast ballots to determine who will hold prominent government positions inside the city.
Jackson’s mayoral seat will be occupied by a new official, as current officeholder Chokwe Antar Lumumba was unseated by state Sen. John Horhn in the Democratic primary runoff last month. Voters in the state’s most populous city voted overwhelmingly to make a change at mayor amid a bribery scandal that found Lumumba and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, among other public officials, indicted on federal charges.
The mayor’s office will be occupied by Horhn, Republican Kenny Gee, or one of four independents seeking the post. As for the Jackson city council, a crowded field of office seekers is awaiting election night to see who will act alongside the new mayor in shaping public policy in the municipality.
Below is a list of the city council candidates in each of Jackson’s seven wards.
Ward 1
Incumbent Ashby Foote, running as an independent this election cycle, switched from the Republican Party to allow his built-in voter base to weigh in on the mayoral race by giving more constituents a chance to vote in the Democratic primary. He was previously the only GOP member of the city council and has served in the post since 2014. If reelected, Foote’s top agenda is to enhance public safety and tackle the issue of blighted properties in the capital city.
“The blight undermines everything,” Foote said. “It undermines confidence in the citizens. It makes the job of law enforcement much more difficult. It makes the job of the fire department much more difficult. It undermines the ability to attract investment into the city.”
Another independent candidate in the race is Grace Greene. Greene is a longtime Jacksonian, Mississippi College graduate, and mother of four children who attend Jackson Public Schools. Her goal is to boost reliable garbage pickup and city services, promote safer neighborhoods, more street and infrastructure repairs, and make it easier to do business in Ward 1. She also vows to be responsive to constituents and to work side by side with other city leaders if elected.
“I think we need to work together. We need to remember that we are serving the people of Jackson, not ourselves. It should not be the [city] council versus the mayor,” Greene said. “We should all keep in mind that we’re here to serve our constituents. We’re not here to advance our own agendas.”
Jasmine Barnes will represent the Democratic Party on the ballot. The University of Mississippi graduate and executive MBA cohort at Millsaps College is championing fiscal responsibility, further investment into stronger infrastructure, enhancing public safety, driving economic development, and reimagining recreation in her ward.
Ward 2
Leading the charge in Ward 2 is current officeholder Tina Clay, a Democrat who was elected in a special session last November to fill a vacancy left by former councilwoman Angelique Lee. Lee stepped down from her position in October and later pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from undercover FBI informants between February and March 2024 in the same scandal as the outgoing mayor and district attorney of Hinds County.
Clay, an alum of both the University of Mississippi and Millsaps College, was promptly tapped as the new face of her ward and looks to continue serving on the city council. If reelected, Clay pledges to work to beautify the perception of Jackson by promoting efforts to strengthen local law enforcement, supporting local schools, enhancing recreational activities, and helping businesses thrive.
Challenging Clay for the Ward 2 seat is Republican nominee Bethany Williams-Sherif. Though Williams-Sherif’s campaign has not been as strong as her opponent’s, we do know that she wants to facilitate a more business-friendly environment in her district while simultaneously backing law enforcement in curbing crime.
Ward 3
The current longest-serving member of the city council, Democrat Kenneth Stokes, is looking to hold down the fort in Ward 3 once again. Stokes was first elected to the public body in 1989 and served six terms before spending a brief stint on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors from 2012-15. His late spouse, LaRita Cooper-Stokes, held the Ward 3 council seat while Kenneth worked at the county level. Cooper-Stokes later went on to become a local judge, as her husband returned to his prior office.
Stokes, since holding public office in his district, has continued to promise to “fight for the citizens of Ward 3 and represent them as their voice” on the city council. He has taken strong stances against public corruption, particularly relating to the scandal facing Lumumba and other elected officials. Stokes has also been a staunch advocate of investing in the youth of Jackson and working to reignite the local economy.
Taking a stab at unseating the longtime incumbent is independent candidate Marques Jackson. Jackson, if elected, would push for investing in infrastructure repairs, economic development, and weeding out crime in Ward 3.
Ward 4
Democrat Brian Grizzell, who is seeking a second term, eased to the finish line in the Democratic primary and faces no challengers from other parties. The licensed educator and former professor boasts successes in passing pay increases for first responders in the capital city in his first term.
He wants to increase public safety through the installation of license plate readers, attract new businesses to Jackson, and support public works initiatives, including repairs to bridges, drainage systems, and roads.
Ward 5
Incumbent Vernon Hartley, a Democrat, is eyeing a second term in the west Jackson ward. The Air Force veteran and community activist, if reelected, plans to address the city’s crime rates, work to remove waste from public properties, invest in infrastructure, and tackle blight. His utmost priority is to represent the will and interests of Ward 5 voters.
Challenging Hartley for the seat is independent candidate Ray McCants. A marketing professional and community organizer, McCants is running on removing blight, enhancing public safety, bolstering small business growth, and economic development, along with expanding educational and recreational opportunities for youth.
Ward 6
Democratic candidate Lashia Brown-Thomas will take over the position currently held by embattled former councilman Aaron Banks, who was indicted alongside Lumumba and Owens in connection with accepting bribes from undercover informants. Banks decided not to run for reelection, but has not released an official statement explaining that decision.
Once taking office, Brown-Thomas is dedicated to reversing the stigma plaguing her south Jackson ward. Her goal is to tackle an ongoing crime epidemic in the area, address blighted properties, and make Ward 6 a place where people feel safe to live and visit.
Ward 7
The Ward 7 seat will have a new face following council president Virgi Lindsay’s decision to vacate her seat after wrapping up her current term. Representing Lindsay’s party is Kevin Parkinson, who emerged victorious in a close Democratic primary back in April.
Parkinson, who boasts extensive experience as a teacher and principal in both public and charter schools, is looking to make Ward 7 a safer and more vibrant community. He also vows to prioritize investments in infrastructure and to make himself available to his constituents.
“My goal is to continue all of the things that make Jackson amazing, while at the same time, addressing some of those urgent challenges we face,” Parkinson said.
Also on the ballot will be former state lawmaker and practicing attorney Ron Aldridge, who is running as an independent. Aldridge, a longtime Belhaven resident who has been active in Christian ministry work across Jackson, is campaigning on restoring trust in public servants, enhancing public safety, tackling blighted properties, and working alongside state officials for the betterment of Ward 7.
“One of the things that I have always said is that we have to get out of our four walls and go to the four corners of every block, every street, every neighborhood, and we make the changes that have to be made for peoples’ lives to make this city right,” Aldridge said.
Representing the Republican Party is Taylor Turcotte, who recently ran for the congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson but failed to get past the primaries. Turcotte, a small advertising agency owner and University of Southern Mississippi graduate, does not have an official campaign website and has not publicly outlined her vision for Ward 7.
In-person voting will take place on Tuesday, June 3, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at precincts across the capital city. For more information on what to know before heading to the polls, click here.
