Courtney Smith - Midtownatlanta.org

Meet District 2 Atlanta City Council Candidate Courtney Smith

Courtney earned her bachelor's degree in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She lives in Midtown Atlanta with her husband.

Courtney is a financial analyst and business owner. She started her professional career as an investment banking analyst in the health care industry, working at SunTrust Bank, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Raymond James. She later transitioned to running her own boutique print media production company.

Atlanta Municipal Elections: Who's Running and Fundraising ...

Courtney's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is her first entry into politics. 

Supports modernizing licensing to benefit businesses and the community.

Supports modernizing Atlanta's alcohol licensing program to benefit businesses and the community.

Proposes exploring legislation to allocate special event permit fees from large-scale ticketed events for discretionary infrastructure improvements.

Supports expanding nighttime experiences in Atlanta.

- Supports modernizing Atlanta's alcohol licensing program to benefit businesses and the community.
- Proposes exploring legislation to allocate special event permit fees from large-scale ticketed events for discretionary infrastructure improvements.
- Supports expanding nighttime experiences in Atlanta.

Economy

Supports expanding partnerships with programs like GOODR to provide choice-based fresh food and household supplies to those in need.

Supports creating urban gardens in each District 2 neighborhood for direct food access, education, and community connection.

- Supports expanding partnerships with programs like GOODR to provide choice-based fresh food and household supplies to those in need.
- Supports creating urban gardens in each District 2 neighborhood for direct food access, education, and community connection.

Public Services

Supports expanding building incentive programs to deliver affordable housing.

Supports exploring new housing models to address diverse population needs.

Supports modernizing zoning laws for clarity and future growth.

Supports properly resourcing the planning department to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Supports expanding zoning incentive programs to increase funding for mixed-income social housing in targeted growth areas.

Supports using city-owned property for mixed-use, mixed-income housing projects with private developers and ensuring affordable housing units through lease conditions or deed restrictions.

Supports innovative housing solutions, such as pairing college students with senior citizens in subsidized housing, to address multiple housing challenges.

Supports updating the Short Term Rental ordinance to reduce the impact on long-term housing, especially in high-demand areas.

Supports targeting older multi-family buildings for revitalization, using Community Development Block Grants to sustain below-market rent.

- Supports expanding building incentive programs to deliver affordable housing.
- Supports exploring new housing models to address diverse population needs.
- Supports modernizing zoning laws for clarity and future growth.
- Supports properly resourcing the planning department to improve efficiency and accuracy.
- Supports expanding zoning incentive programs to increase funding for mixed-income social housing in targeted growth areas.
- Supports using city-owned property for mixed-use, mixed-income housing projects with private developers and ensuring affordable housing units through lease conditions or deed restrictions.
- Supports innovative housing solutions, such as pairing college students with senior citizens in subsidized housing, to address multiple housing challenges.
- Supports updating the Short Term Rental ordinance to reduce the impact on long-term housing, especially in high-demand areas.
- Supports targeting older multi-family buildings for revitalization, using Community Development Block Grants to sustain below-market rent.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports community-centered policing practices, including youth programs, athletic leagues, and discussions between citizens and zone officers.

Supports maintaining a strong partnership with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure high standards in training, service delivery, professional development, and mental health resources for officers.

Supports exploring the use of AI and camera technologies to automate event permitting and licensing processes, freeing up sworn officers for higher priority needs.

- Supports community-centered policing practices, including youth programs, athletic leagues, and discussions between citizens and zone officers.
- Supports maintaining a strong partnership with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure high standards in training, service delivery, professional development, and mental health resources for officers.
- Supports exploring the use of AI and camera technologies to automate event permitting and licensing processes, freeing up sworn officers for higher priority needs.

Public Safety

Supports expanding and maintaining bike lanes.

Supports improving budget transparency, project status reporting, and accountability for timely project delivery and safety improvements with MARTA.

Supports public transit expansion and the development of an uninterrupted radial transit corridor along the Beltline.

Supports improving public transit by prioritizing accessibility, reducing costs, and connecting underserved communities to economic centers.

- Supports expanding and maintaining bike lanes.
- Supports improving budget transparency, project status reporting, and accountability for timely project delivery and safety improvements with MARTA.
- Supports public transit expansion and the development of an uninterrupted radial transit corridor along the Beltline.
- Supports improving public transit by prioritizing accessibility, reducing costs, and connecting underserved communities to economic centers.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Plans to address the multi-year backlog of arborist requests to improve tree canopy growth.

- Plans to address the multi-year backlog of arborist requests to improve tree canopy growth.

Energy & the Environment

LinkedIn

Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith has maintained a love for Midtown Atlanta since 1996 when she moved into her Harrison dorm room at Georgia Tech. Along with her husband, she has owned property in Midtown for over 20 years. After living in Nashville, New York and Singapore, Courtney returned to the Midtown Neighborhood permanently in 2012. She lives on Mentelle Drive in the historic home of renown Atlanta architect and founder of the Midtown Neighbors’ Association, Henri Jova.  Courtney started her professional career in corporate finance as an investment banking analyst in the health care industry working for SunTrust Bank, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and Raymond James where she advised clients on venture capital fundraising rounds, M&A opportunities, and capital markets transactions.  In 2005, after a one-year sabbatical where she attended the International Center of Photography in New York City, Courtney transitioned careers. For the following eight years, she used her skills in financial analytics, business strategy and project management to own and operate a boutique print media production company helping to create large scale corporate ad campaigns and stock image collections for large national companies.  Courtney enjoys working alongside Midtown neighbors on special projects including investigating a Midtown historic overlay designation and supporting the development of the Midtown Garden District Master Plan through to adoption. Her passion for being a part of the MNA Board of Directors stems from a lifelong call to service ingrained in her by her family’s history of military, civil and faith-based service. Her dedication to MNA is sustained by her love of Midtown’s intense energy and welcoming community vibe.  For Courtney, the fact that Midtown is the most dense and fastest growing neighborhood simply makes the work for our community all that much more intriguing and critical. Courtney joined the MNA Board of Directors in 2018 as Marketing Chairman and oversaw the rebranding of the organization, website evolution and worked alongside other dedicated Board members to re-envision the structure, programming and future vision of MNA’s service to the community.  As President of the Midtown Neighbors’ Association, her focus has been on opening channels of communication for residents to connect to their community, creating sustainable practices for growth, strengthening bench depth, and bolstering the reputation and influence of the organization. Courtney represents MNA on the City of Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Unit-E Board as Vice Chairman and also serves on the Midtown Alliance Board of Directors.  In 2021, Courtney joined other neighborhood leaders in creating a citizen advocacy group – CLEAR – to bring about much needed reform and modernization of our City of Atlanta Alcohol Code of Ordinances. Since inception, the group has gathered the support of over 300,000 Atlanta residents and successfully supported positive legislative changes. Courtney is appointed to the City’s Alcohol Technical Advisory Group III which will convene this year and she also served on the 2021 Mayor’s Anti-Violence Advisory Council.  Courtney serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Preservation Center, Georgia Tech Alumni Association, and Our House. Her family supports the Piedmont Park Conservancy, Midtown Assistance Center, HOPE Atlanta, Atlanta Food Bank, and Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute. They are members of the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Courtney is a financial analyst and business owner. She started her professional career in corporate finance as an investment banking analyst in the health care industry, working at SunTrust Bank, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Raymond James. After a one-year sabbatical in 2005, she transitioned to running her own boutique print media production company for eight years, where she used her skills in financial analytics, business strategy, and project management to create large-scale corporate ad campaigns and stock image collections for national companies.

Supports legislation to allocate council district funding from special event permit fees for infrastructure improvements.

Supports partnering with others for faster delivery of permanent affordable housing on city land.

Supports prioritizing long-term housing while allowing short-term rentals.

Supports preserving "naturally occurring affordable housing."

Supports using special event permit fees for infrastructure improvements.

Buket Urgen

Alex earned his bachelor's degree from Georgia College & State University and his Master in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. He and his wife have two daughters.

Meet District 2 Atlanta City Council Candidate Alex Bevel Jones

Atlanta City Council to Appoint New Interim District 2 Representative ...

Alex is the development director at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. He previously worked as a corporate engagement manager at Georgia Tech, a project manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and owned a small restaurant. He also worked as an Uber driver between jobs to support his family.

2025 Atlanta Elections: Who is Running? - Atlanta Civic Circle

Alex's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

Supports reducing bureaucratic obstacles for local businesses and increasing access to capital.

Supports vocational training programs in partnership with local schools and employers.

Supports transparent budgeting that prioritizes homeownership programs, public safety, transit expansion, and attracting affordable grocery vendors.

- Supports reducing bureaucratic obstacles for local businesses and increasing access to capital.
- Supports vocational training programs in partnership with local schools and employers.
- Supports transparent budgeting that prioritizes homeownership programs, public safety, transit expansion, and attracting affordable grocery vendors.

Supports restoring and expanding health services for all residents.

Supports advocating for mental health support and better access to care citywide.

Supports stronger partnerships between the City Council, school board and local nonprofits to expand after-school programs and job training.

Supports advocating for improved compensation and working conditions for Atlanta teachers.

- Supports restoring and expanding health services for all residents.
- Supports advocating for mental health support and better access to care citywide.
- Supports stronger partnerships between the City Council, school board and local nonprofits to expand after-school programs and job training.
- Supports advocating for improved compensation and working conditions for Atlanta teachers.

Supports ensuring affordable units are included in every major development.

Supports mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes affordable housing and protects the tree canopy.

Supports community land trusts and inclusionary zoning.

- Supports ensuring affordable units are included in every major development.
- Supports mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes affordable housing and protects the tree canopy.
- Supports community land trusts and inclusionary zoning.

Supports investing in police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders by providing them with training, tools, and resources.

Supports developing a public safety training center to improve preparedness and accountability.

Supports community policing, de-escalation training, and policies to reduce emergency response times.

- Supports investing in police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders by providing them with training, tools, and resources.
- Supports developing a public safety training center to improve preparedness and accountability.
- Supports community policing, de-escalation training, and policies to reduce emergency response times.

Supports building protected bike lanes and investing in sidewalks, bike lanes, streetlights, and infrastructure across all neighborhoods.

Supports expanding the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system, improving sidewalks, and boosting connectivity between neighborhoods.

Supports expanding the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system.

- Supports building protected bike lanes and investing in sidewalks, bike lanes, streetlights, and infrastructure across all neighborhoods.
- Supports expanding the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system.

As of September 3, 2025, Alexander Bevel Jones’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Alexander Bevel Jones

Alex Bevel Jones's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

Alex is a corporate engagement manager at Georgia Tech. He previously owned a small business and worked as a project manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. He also interned in Congress and served as president of the Virginia-Highland Civic Association.

Alexander Bevel Jones's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

Supports developing a state-of-the-art public safety training center to enhance preparedness and accountability.

Supports mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes affordable housing and protects our tree canopy.

Jacob Chambers is from Atlanta, Georgia. He has a bachelor's degree and master's degree in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives in Midtown.

Jacob is a software engineer and researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Ballotpedia - William Jacob Chambers

Jacob's campaign for Atlanta City Council is his first entry into politics.

Supports empowering residents to open small, neighborhood-scale businesses.

- Supports empowering residents to open small, neighborhood-scale businesses.

Supports investment in early childhood education.

- Supports investment in early childhood education.

Plans to stabilize the cost of purchasing or renting a home by addressing the root causes of Atlanta's housing shortage.

Plans to streamline the approval process for residents and builders to make it faster and easier to build new homes.

Aims to address historical racial injustices in housing and ensure all Atlantans have access to stable, affordable housing.

- Plans to stabilize the cost of purchasing or renting a home by addressing the root causes of Atlanta's housing shortage.
- Plans to streamline the approval process for residents and builders to make it faster and easier to build new homes.
- Aims to address historical racial injustices in housing and ensure all Atlantans have access to stable, affordable housing.

Supports investments in early childhood education and public safety.

Opposes "endless highway expansion" and wants to fix and maintain current roads.

Supports completing the Beltline loop, including the trail and light rail.

- Opposes "endless highway expansion" and wants to fix and maintain current roads.
- Supports completing the Beltline loop, including the trail and light rail.

As of September 3, 2025, Jacob Chambers’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Jacob Chambers

Jacob Chambers is from Atlanta, Georgia. He has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives in Midtown.

As of September 3, 2025, Jacob Chambers did not have a website or any information online.

Supports empowering residents to open small, neighborhood-scale businesses to promote walkable communities.

James is from LaGrange, Georgia, and was raised in Newnan and Southside Atlanta. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Benedict College and a law degree from The Ohio State University. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

James is an associate attorney at Lueder, Larkin, and Hunter, LLC. He has previously worked as an assistant solicitor at the Fulton County Solicitor General's office.

James's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is his first entry into politics.

As of September 3, 2025, James White III’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes safer neighborhoods are built through "compassion, prevention, and opportunity," not by increasing arrests.

- Believes safer neighborhoods are built through "compassion, prevention, and opportunity," not by increasing arrests.

Plans to address "potholes, unsafe streets, and broken city response systems."

- Plans to address "potholes, unsafe streets, and broken city response systems."

James White III

James White III is from LaGrange, Georgia, and was raised in Newnan and Southside Atlanta. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Benedict College and a law degree from The Ohio State University. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

As of September 3, 2025, James White Iii did not have a website or any information online.

James White Iii

Kelsea Bond — LPAC

Kelsea is originally from Metro Atlanta. She has lived in City Council District 2 for ten years, and currently resides in Midtown, Atlanta.

Meet the Atlanta City Council candidates: Kelsea Bond for District 2

Kelsea is a community organizer and former education policy worker. They have organized as a union member and served as a political campaign manager.

Atlanta's Green New Deal: Kelsea Bond's Vision for Change

Kelsea's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is thier first entry into politics. 

Believes "we need to ensure that employers who do business with the city of Atlanta practice worker safety and prioritize union hiring."

Believes we need "fair taxes on the ultra-rich" to pay for public services like health programs and after school care.

Supports "strong community benefits agreements from developers who receive public subsidies."

Plans to work with Fulton County to ensure luxury commercial property owners are paying their fair share in taxes.

Supports investing in publicly-owned grocery stores to combat food insecurity in areas where the free market does not build.

Supports raising city employee wages to encourage private businesses to increase their wages to remain competitive.

- Believes "we need to ensure that employers who do business with the city of Atlanta practice worker safety and prioritize union hiring."
- Believes we need "fair taxes on the ultra-rich" to pay for public services like health programs and after school care.
- Supports "strong community benefits agreements from developers who receive public subsidies."
- Plans to work with Fulton County to ensure luxury commercial property owners are paying their fair share in taxes.
- Supports investing in publicly-owned grocery stores to combat food insecurity in areas where the free market does not build.
- Supports raising city employee wages to encourage private businesses to increase their wages to remain competitive.

Supports transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government.

As a city council member, sponsored legislation to provide free menstrual products in city-owned bathrooms and at the Atlanta airport.

Supports providing free menstrual products in city-owned bathrooms and at the Atlanta airport.

Plans to partner with local organizations to host free name change clinics for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

- Supports transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government.
- Supports providing free menstrual products in city-owned bathrooms and at the Atlanta airport.
- Plans to partner with local organizations to host free name change clinics for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

Supports using publicly-owned and vacant land to build permanently affordable housing options like community land trusts and social housing, and plans to use the Affordable Housing Trust fund for land acquisition.

Supports using publicly-owned and vacant land to build affordable housing options like community land trusts and social housing.

Supports abolishing parking minimums, especially near public transit and in walkable neighborhoods, to lower housing costs and incentivize public transit use.

Supports zoning reforms to enable denser, mixed-use multi-family housing for all income types.

Supports creating an Office of the Tenant Advocate to educate renters on their rights and provide legal assistance to those facing eviction.

Supports expanding inclusionary zoning and updating the definition of affordable housing to include low-income and working-class residents.

Opposes "violent encampment sweeps" and advocates for community-centered cleanups with trust-building efforts, rather than using heavy equipment.

Supports providing "robust wraparound services and medical care for all new housing for recently houseless individuals."

- Supports using publicly-owned and vacant land to build affordable housing options like community land trusts and social housing.
- Supports abolishing parking minimums, especially near public transit and in walkable neighborhoods, to lower housing costs and incentivize public transit use.
- Supports zoning reforms to enable denser, mixed-use multi-family housing for all income types.
- Supports creating an Office of the Tenant Advocate to educate renters on their rights and provide legal assistance to those facing eviction.
- Supports expanding inclusionary zoning and updating the definition of affordable housing to include low-income and working-class residents.
- Opposes "violent encampment sweeps" and advocates for community-centered cleanups with trust-building efforts, rather than using heavy equipment.
- Supports providing "robust wraparound services and medical care for all new housing for recently houseless individuals."

Supports access to abortion and opposes criminalizing abortion care.

Opposes criminalizing abortion care and wants Atlanta to opt out of prosecuting givers or recipients of abortion according to state law.

Opposes the use of facial recognition technology in policing, citing invasiveness and discrimination against Black and brown individuals.

Supports investing in community-oriented alternatives to policing, such as the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD).

- Opposes criminalizing abortion care and wants Atlanta to opt out of prosecuting givers or recipients of abortion according to state law.
- Opposes the use of facial recognition technology in policing, citing invasiveness and discrimination against Black and brown individuals.
- Supports investing in community-oriented alternatives to policing, such as the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD).

Supports investing in transit alternatives, like BeltLine Rail, to reduce transportation costs for service workers.

Supports completing the More MARTA program, including bus rapid transit, Beltline Rail, and Streetcar East Extension.

Believes in ensuring MARTA spends dollars wisely to complete new projects quickly and provide more frequent progress updates.

Aims to increase transit ridership by collaborating with MARTA and community partners on events, outreach, city-planning initiatives, and offering free rides to Atlanta Public Schools students.

Plans to protect pedestrians by expanding the “no right on red” ordinance, completing Atlanta’s sidewalk grid, and prioritizing the most dangerous roads, underserved neighborhoods, and senior communities.

Plans to protect pedestrians by expanding the “no right on red” ordinance.

Plans to fix broken sidewalks to make them more accessible for seniors, strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers.

Wants to invest in traffic calming mechanisms like raised crosswalks, bulbouts, and tree planting on major roads to improve pedestrian safety by slowing traffic.

Wants to improve pedestrian safety using raised crosswalks, bulbouts, and tree planting on major roads to slow traffic.

Aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by completing a city-wide bike grid with protected lanes on dangerous streets.

Supports expanding Atlanta’s e-bike voucher program, particularly in underserved communities and high-injury areas.

- Supports investing in transit alternatives, like BeltLine Rail, to reduce transportation costs for service workers.
- Supports completing the More MARTA program, including bus rapid transit, Beltline Rail, and Streetcar East Extension.
- Believes in ensuring MARTA spends dollars wisely to complete new projects quickly and provide more frequent progress updates.
- Aims to increase transit ridership by collaborating with MARTA and community partners on events, outreach, city-planning initiatives, and offering free rides to Atlanta Public Schools students.
- Plans to protect pedestrians by expanding the “no right on red” ordinance.
- Plans to fix broken sidewalks to make them more accessible for seniors, strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers.
- Wants to improve pedestrian safety using raised crosswalks, bulbouts, and tree planting on major roads to slow traffic.
- Aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by completing a city-wide bike grid with protected lanes on dangerous streets.
- Supports expanding Atlanta’s e-bike voucher program, particularly in underserved communities and high-injury areas.

Supports the local implementation of a Green New Deal, promoting a shift toward renewable resources and away from fossil fuels.

Wants to reduce Atlanta’s carbon footprint by planning more mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods that encourage walking, biking, public transit, and car-free living.

Wants to preserve the tree canopy by planting more trees on public land, especially along pedestrian walkways and bus stops.

Supports preventing severe flooding by investing in green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and stormwater parks.

Opposes the construction of "inefficient, wasteful data centers" within city limits.

Supports enforcing the ban on single-use plastics from city government buildings and the Atlanta Airport, which was approved by City Council in 2019.

Wants to fund public pools and splash pads to help families stay cool during hot months.

- Supports the local implementation of a Green New Deal, promoting a shift toward renewable resources and away from fossil fuels.
- Wants to reduce Atlanta’s carbon footprint by planning more mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods that encourage walking, biking, public transit, and car-free living.
- Wants to preserve the tree canopy by planting more trees on public land, especially along pedestrian walkways and bus stops.
- Supports preventing severe flooding by investing in green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and stormwater parks.
- Opposes the construction of "inefficient, wasteful data centers" within city limits.
- Supports enforcing the ban on single-use plastics from city government buildings and the Atlanta Airport, which was approved by City Council in 2019.
- Wants to fund public pools and splash pads to help families stay cool during hot months.

Kelsea Bond

- Believes "we need to ensure that employers who do business with the city of Atlanta practice worker safety and prioritize union hiring."

- Supports transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government.
- Believes we need "fair taxes on the ultra-rich" to pay for public services like health programs and after school care.

- Supports creating more affordable housing in Atlanta.

As of September 3, 2025, Kelsea Bond’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Supports investing in transit alternatives, like BeltLine Rail, to reduce transportation costs for service workers.

- Supports the local implementation of a Green New Deal, promoting a shift toward renewable resources and away from fossil fuels.

Kelsea Bond is a queer community organizer, former union member and education policy worker, born and raised in Metro Atlanta. Growing up in a diverse family of educators and public sector workers, Kelsea was raised to believe that our government has a responsibility to provide housing, healthcare, and a quality education as a human right. Since 2020, Kelsea has organized alongside dozens of progressive community organizations and labor unions to fight for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights here in the State of Georgia, and organize solidarity for unionizing workers. In 2021, Kelsea organized with abortion rights groups to raise awareness for a Reproductive Freedom Act in Georgia, and in 2023 worked with their former union, United Campus Workers of Georgia to introduce legislation to the state legislature to legalize public sector bargaining rights. Kelsea has lived in City Council District 2 for ten years, and currently resides in Midtown, Atlanta.

Kelsea's campaign for Atlanta City Council Member, District 2 is their first entry into politics. 

As of September 3, 2025, Kelsea Bond did not have a website or any information online.

Supports affordable housing, environmentally responsible infrastructure, and workers' rights.

Supports investing in transit alternatives like the BeltLine Rail to reduce transportation costs for service workers.

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 