What you need to know about the 2024 candidates running for seats on the Columbus Council
Editor’s Note: This story previous stated Rocky Marsh served 10 years in the U.S. Army. It has been corrected to reflect that he served in the Army for 20 years.
Columbus residents will take to the polls to vote on who will represent the even numbered districts on the city council on May 21.
Two council races will be competitive, District 4 and the at-large seat, while council members sitting in the other districts up for reelection run unopposed.
Residents will also choose who will fill former Columbus Councilor John House’s at-large seat for the seven remaining months of the current term in a special election, and also for the next four years.
April 22 is the voter registration deadline, and early voting runs from April 29 through May 17. A runoff election will take place on June 18, if needed.
Here are the candidates who qualified to run for Columbus Council:
District 2
Incumbent Glenn Davis is running unopposed.
District 4
Incumbent Toyia Tucker was first elected as District 4 councilor in 2020. Tucker served in the Air Force, is founder of the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission and co-founder of the River Valley Black Chamber of Commerce.
Tyrone Thomas is the senior pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Fort Mitchell, AL. Thomas retired from his 30-year career with the Columbus Police Department.
District 6
Incumbent Gary Allen is running unopposed.
District 8
Incumbent Walker Garrett is running unopposed.
Council At-Large 4-year and Council At-Large Special
John Anker is a former mayoral candidate and 29-year resident of Columbus. Anker is the founder and president of the manufacturing and logistics company Ankerpak.
Travis Chambers serves as a member of the Economic Development Authority and Workforce Development Committee through the Chamber of Commerce. A former small business owner, Chambers currently works in the nonprofit sector.
Patrick Leonard is a former humanities professor at Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne, IL and has worked as a pastor for 12 years. He is currently the pastor of Faith Ministries of Columbus, GA.
Rocky Marsh served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and is currently the Department of Defense Civilian Fort Moore Budget Analyst. Marsh is a member of the Columbus Crime Prevention Board.
This story was originally published March 15, 2024 at 12:25 PM.
