2024 Georgia General Elections

2024 GA Primary Election

2024 GA Primary Election Runoff

Ballotpedia: Jason Jacobs 

Jason holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Georgia. Jason is married to his wife, Katie and they have three sons. 

Jason’s co-owns a retail store, Cheeky Peach Boutique and is a baseball instructor. He is a retired Professional Baseball Player, and played with the New York Mets.  

This is Jason Jacobs’s first entry into politics. 

Wants to focus on improving underserved neighborhoods in district 2.

Wants to improve district parks and public areas.

Supports youth programs aimed at addressing family homelessness and gang violence.

Wants to provide soft and job skills training and programs that aim to reduce the likelihood of being an incarcerated youth by supporting organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and Grand slam.

Plans to advocate for government funds to be allocated towards recovery programs, mental health treatment and crisis response for district 2.

Wants to provide federal assistance for homeless individuals.

- Wants to focus on improving underserved neighborhoods in district 2.
- Wants to improve district parks and public areas.
- Supports youth programs aimed at addressing family homelessness and gang violence.
- Wants to provide soft and job skills training and programs that aim to reduce the likelihood of being an incarcerated youth by supporting organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and Grand slam.
- Plans to advocate for government funds to be allocated towards recovery programs, mental health treatment and crisis response for district 2.
- Wants to provide federal assistance for homeless individuals.

Public Services

Supports competitive salaries for public safety employees.

Wants to build up tourism to increase sales tax revenue, and use those funds to reduce property taxes and expand housing.

Wants to create jobs with a "living-wage", and expand sufficient workforce housing.

- Supports competitive salaries for public safety employees.
- Supports job creation.
- Supports small business growth. 
- Wants to build up tourism to increase sales tax revenue, and use those funds to reduce property taxes and expand housing.
- Wants to create jobs with a "living-wage", and expand sufficient workforce housing.

Economy

As of April 23, 2024, Jason Jacobs’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

Believes police training should include mental health and crisis response courses.

Plans to provide training and resources to local agencies, aiming to ensure they operate with compassion.

Supports sufficient and competitive pay for safety officials.

- Supports community policing programs. 
- Believes police training should include mental health and crisis response courses.
- Plans to provide training and resources to local agencies, aiming to ensure they operate with compassion.
- Supports sufficient and competitive pay for safety officials.

Public Safety

Website said, "....will work to help the unhoused find not just a tent, but a roof over their head with the goal of healing the root causes, not just the symptoms of this issue. "

Supports affordable and workforce housing.

- Website said, "....will work to help the unhoused find not just a tent, but a roof over their head with the goal of healing the root causes, not just the symptoms of this issue. "
- Supports affordable and workforce housing.
- Wants lower property taxes.

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

Instagram

LinkedIn

Jason Jacobs

Jason holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Georgia. Jason is married to Katie and they have three sons. 

Jason’s most recent role is that of a small business owner. Before that Jason was an assistant coach for the University of Georgia’s baseball team. Jason started his career by playing professional baseball for several years. Jason has been a Bulldogs baseball commentator for the SEC+ network.

As of May 8, 2024, Jason Jacobs’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Website said, "...advocate for neighborhood beautification and improvement, particularly uplifting areas of the district which have been historically left behind and forgotten. "

- Supports competitive salaries for public safety employees.
- Supports job creation.
- Supports small business growth & expanding tourism.

- Favors community policing programs
- Believes police training should include mental health and crisis response courses.

As of May 7, 2024, Jason Jacobs’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Melissa Link grew up in southern Prince George's County, Maryland and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1988. She attended East Carolina University before moving to Athens as an art history graduate student in 1993. Melissa resides in the Boulevard neighborhood of Athens with her husband.

Melissa Link works in the University of Georgia Department of Philosophy as a communications specialist and managing editor of an environmental ethics journal. 

Melissa Link is currently County Commissioner in Clarke County. She was elected to this position through a special election in March 2023. She is a former Athens-Clarke County Commissioner for District 3. She was elected to that position in 2015, and served two terms. 

Candidate website

The candidate's website says, "In her nine years in office, Melissa has successfully fought to ... invest in affordable housing, ... support public transit and bike & pedestrian safety, ... expand parks & trails for a healthier & more connected community, ... create youth opportunities, ... and promote justice & equality for all. ..."

Wants to expand local parks and trails aiming to foster a healthier and more connected community. 

The candidate's website says, "investment in youth development & low-income homeowner assistance"

Supports investing in youth progress and helping low-income homeowners. 

- Wants to expand local parks and trails aiming to foster a healthier and more connected community. 
- Supports investing in youth progress and helping low-income homeowners. 

The candidate's website says, "$15 minium wage for ACC employees"

Supported increasing the minimum wage to $15 for Athens-Clarke County employees.

- Supported increasing the minimum wage to $15 for Athens-Clarke County employees.

As of April 23, 2024, Melissa Link’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports firefighters' rights to collective bargaining, advocates for a Fire Safety fee on large buildings, including tax-exempt entities, to ensure proper equipment and compensation for firefighters in a growing and complex environment.

Supports granting  firefighters' the ability to partake in collective bargaining and advocated for a Fire Safety fee on large buildings in an effort to ensure proper equipment and compensation for firefighters.

- Supports granting  firefighters' the ability to partake in collective bargaining and advocated for a Fire Safety fee on large buildings in an effort to ensure proper equipment and compensation for firefighters.

Plans to engage the community in updating Athens-Clarke County's Future Land Use Map, aiming to protect neighborhoods, promote affordable housing, smart growth, environmental preservation, and properly locate student housing away from Downtown.

Plans to update Athens-Clarke County's Future Land Use Map, aiming to protect neighborhoods, promote affordable housing, smart growth, environmental preservation, and properly locate student housing away from Downtown.

The candidate's website says, "preserved affordable housing in the historically Black West Hancock neighborhood"

Supported the perseveration of "affordable housing in the historically Black West Hancock neighborhood."

The candidate's website says, "Supported a funded & accountable Strategy to Prevent Homelessness"

Voted in favor of the Strategic Plan to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness.

- Plans to update Athens-Clarke County's Future Land Use Map, aiming to protect neighborhoods, promote affordable housing, smart growth, environmental preservation, and properly locate student housing away from Downtown.
- Supported the perseveration of "affordable housing in the historically Black West Hancock neighborhood."
- Voted in favor of the Strategic Plan to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness.

The candidate's website says, "created pedestrian plaza at College Square & park on Washington St Downtown"

Supported the creation of a pedestrian plaza at College Square & park on Washington St Downtown.

Wants to improve transportation infrastructure.

- Supported the creation of a pedestrian plaza at College Square & park on Washington St Downtown.
- Wants to improve transportation infrastructure.

Facebook

Melissa Link

Melissa Link is currently County Commissioner in Clarke County. She won a special election in March 2023.

- Wants to "expand parks & trails for a healthier & more connected community..."
- Supports "investment in youth development & low-income homeowner assistance."

- Supported increasing the minimum wage for Athens-Clarke County employees.

- Supports firefighters' rights to collective bargaining and advocated for a Fire Safety fee on large buildings to ensure proper equipment and compensation for firefighters.

Melissa Link grew up in southern Prince George's County, Maryland and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1988. She attended East Carolina University before moving to Athens as an art history graduate student in 1993. Melissa resides in the Boulevard neighborhood of Athens with her husband, a high school English teacher. Details about her church attendance are not provided, nor is there specific information about children or other family members living with them.

Melissa Link works in the UGA Department of Philosophy as a communications specialist and managing editor of an environmental ethics journal. Her professional background also includes being an art history graduate student. Specific details about previous jobs are not provided in the information given.

Melissa Link won a special election in March 2023 to become Commissioner for the new District 2 in Athens-Clarke County. She is running for re-election in the May 21, 2024 local election for District 2 Commissioner. Specific details on any committees she serves on or past political runs are not provided in the information given.

The candidate's website says, "chaired Clarke County Board of Health during COVID-19 pandemic, advocated for proper safety protocols throughout our community"

The candidate's website says, "advocated for proper safety protocols throughout our community"

The candidate's website says, "youth development & low-income homeowner assistance"

The candidate's website says, "investment in affordable housing in North Downtown & East Athens"

The candidate's website says, "problems we face today are the result of zoning decisions made 20+ years ago"

Supports urban living and public transit, influenced by family experiences in Brooklyn and Pittsburgh, and personally commutes using Athens Transit and electric scooter on Prince Avenue bike lanes to North Campus.

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay in property and sales taxes, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms in staggered years. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.

Creates new laws and passes the budget for your county

Clarke County Commissioner, District 2

Election results

Candidates (2)