8 more local candidates qualify for Columbus nonpartisan elections on final day
Eight more candidates qualified Friday to be on the May 19 ballot during the elections of nonpartisan offices in Muscogee County:
- Chris Breault for Columbus mayor
- Chiara Richardson for the District 7 seat on the Columbus Council
- Branson Courtney Derrell Wright for the council’s citywide District 9 seat
- Jacob Patrick for the District 2 seat on the Muscogee County School Board
- Bob Roth for the school board’s District 6 seat
- Margot Schley (incumbent) for the school board’s District 8 seat
- Sadiyah Abdullah for the school board’s countywide at-large seat
- Kevin Miller for the school board’s countywide at-large seat
Marquese “Skinny” Averett withdrew from the race for the city’s council’s District 7 seat after qualifying Monday.
Friday was the last of the five-day qualifying period. Here is the complete list of local candidates who have qualified, according to the Muscogee County Elections and Registration Office:
Columbus mayor
- Chris Breault
- Jaketra Bryant
- Joanne Cogle
- Isaiah Hugley
- Steve Kelly
- Mark LaJoye
Columbus Council
- Simi Barnes, District 1
- Karen Gaskins, District 1
- Sherrie Aaron, District 3
- Jake Golden IV, District 3
- Zack Lee, District 3
- Charmaine Crabb, District 5 (incumbent)
- Robert Wadkins Jr., District 5
- Laketha Ashe, District 7
- Chiara Richardson, 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
- Branson Courtney Derrell Wright, citywide District 9
Muscogee County School Board
- Jacob Patrick, District 2
- Nickie Tillery, District 2 (incumbent)
- Naomi Buckner, District 4 (incumbent)
- Mark Cantrell, District 6 (incumbent)
- Bob Roth, District 6
- Margot Schley, District 8 (incumbent)
- Joshua Smith, District 8
- Sadiyah Abdullah, countywide at-large
- Kia Chambers, countywide at-large (incumbent)
- Kevin Miller, countywide at-large
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