Sharon Jones, chair of Columbia’s Planning and Zoning Commission and lobbyist, will be Columbia’s Fourth Ward representative on city council. The seat was previously held by Nick Foster, who resigned in June.
Jones won with 51% of the vote, defeating Dave Sorrell, the former city of Columbia utilities director who garnered 38% of the vote and Ryan King, a social services attorney who won 11% of the vote.
“I am just so excited," Jones told KBIA following her victory. "This was the big hurdle, now I'm ready to get work."
Jones said her first priorities as council member would be assessing the city budget, re-evaluating the use of Flock traffic cameras and improving infrastructure throughout Columbia.
"I really want to look at why we have so many problems with infrastructure in Columbia,” Jones said. “Is it a money problem? Is it a completion problem?”
Foster announced that he would be resigning from the Columbia city council in late April to move to Atlanta after his wife became the dean of Georgia State’s College of Education and Human Development. His resignation led to a special election, where three candidates ran: Sharon Jones, Dave Sorrell and Ryan King.
Foster endorsed Jones in mid-July, before reiterating his endorsement a week before election day, writing in a Facebook post that “She will represent well the values of the Fourth Ward and the City of Columbia as a whole.”
Jones’ campaign watch party was held at a local labor union office. LiUNA Local 955 endorsed Jones, along with the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and The Sierra Club.
Jones has not held elected office but has served on the the city of Columbia’s Planning and Zoning Commission since 2020 and is also a civil rights attorney and lobbyist. She founded the Jones Advocacy Group, which serves as a lobbying and legal support group for clients.
Jones campaigned on three main policy points: critically evaluating city growth plans, listening to Columbia residents and improving conditions for city employees.
Council member Vera Elwood celebrated Jones' win on Election Day and remarked on the historic nature of the results.
"I'm very excited that for the first time in Columbia history, we're gonna have an all woman city council," Elwood said.
