Jerone Wood waves after wins the Democratic primary election in the race for the newly created City Council District 3 during the watch party at Bartholomew County Democratic Party Headquarters in Columbus on Tuesday.
Four years after achieving one of the narrowest victories in recent local elections, Jerone Wood emerged victorious over two Democratic primary challengers to become his party’s nominee for the new Columbus City Council District 3 seat.
Wood, 34, will face Republican candidate Sue Norman-Chapple, who was unopposed in the primary, during the November general election.
Tuesday’s primary was the first election since the city council districts were redrawn as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process following the 2020 census and the city’s decision to adopt “second class” status. The change means there will be nine council members, rather than the current seven.
In total, 165 voters cast a vote in the District 3 Democratic primary, the party’s only contested race.
For the first hour-and-a-half after the polls closed, Wood was running nearly neck-and-neck with his two challengers, therapist Tony Hayden, 31, and Cummins Inc. engineer Michael Kinder, 32.
But shortly after 7:30 p.m., Wood was able to move ahead and eventually win 41% of the vote. Kinder received 30% support, while Hayden garnered about 29%.
Four years ago, Wood was managing an apartment complex, but more people know him now than when he defeated the late Republican Dascal Bunch by one vote in 2019. Today, Wood is in his third year of teaching, coaches girls basketball at Mt. Healthy Elementary School, track at Columbus East High School, and is in his fourth year as a city council member.
“I’ve met a lot of people I normally wouldn’t have had the chance to meet,” Wood said.
Hayden said he knocked on more than 200 doors during his campaign while working full-time and continuing his education.
Hayden said he has a passion for politics and helping others, so he will attempt to serve on city committees, commissions or boards. He said he has not ruled out running for office again.
“I don’t think I would have done anything different, except my yard signs,” Hayden said. “The next time, I will have my name as big as possible on them.”
Kinder is already serving as president of the Columbus Plan Commission, as well as a member of the Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals. He was also an independent candidate for one of the at-large city council seats in 2019.
If the opportunity arises, Kinder said he may run again for political office.
“I look at the city council as only one opportunity to serve the community,” he said.
How you voted
Columbus City Council District 3
Tony Hayden (D);48
Michael Kinder (D);50
Jerone Wood (D);67
