5 more local candidates qualify for Columbus nonpartisan elections on Day 3
Five more candidates qualified Wednesday to be on the May 19 ballot during the 2026 elections of nonpartisan offices in Muscogee County:
- Jaketra Bryant for Columbus mayor
- Mark LaJoye for the city’s mayor
- Jake Golden IV for the District 3 seat on the Columbus Council
- Robert Wadkins Jr. for the council’s District 5 seat
- Rebecca “Becca” Zajac for the council’s District 7 seat
Monday was the start of the five-day qualifying period. The deadline is noon Friday. Here is the complete list of local candidates who have qualified, according to the Muscogee County Elections and Registration Office:
Columbus mayor
- Jaketra Bryant
- Joanne Cogle
- Isaiah Hugley
- Steve Kelly
- Mark LaJoye
Columbus Council
- Simi Barnes, District 1
- Karen Gaskins, District 1
- Jake Golden IV, District 3
- Zack Lee, District 3
- Charmaine Crabb, District 5 (incumbent)
- Robert Wadkins Jr., District 5
- Laketha Ashe, District 7
- Marquese “Skinny” Averett, District 7
- Rebecca “Becca” Zajac, District 7
- John Anker, citywide District 9 (incumbent)
- Cathy Cook, citywide District 9
- Rocky Marsh, citywide District 9
- John Van Doorn, citywide District 9
Muscogee County School Board
- Nickie Tillery, District 2 (incumbent)
- Naomi Buckner, District 4 (incumbent)
- Mark Cantrell, District 6 (incumbent)
- Joshua Smith, District 8
- Kia Chambers, countywide at-large seat (incumbent)
State Court judge
- Andy Prather (incumbent)
Qualifying fees
The 2026 qualifying fees to be a candidate for the four-year terms in those offices are:
- $4,943 for State Court judge
- $1,950 for mayor
- $360 for city councilor
- $360 for school board member
Mark Rice
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer