COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Members have come and gone, but for the first time in more than a century, the structure of Columbus City Council will change with the fall 2023 election.  

Two new sleek wooden desks have been added to the chamber’s dais, making room for two more elected members, increasing the body from seven to nine. The council will also shift by the end of the calendar year from an entirely at-large body to a hybrid one with districts, although Columbus residents will be eligible to vote in all of the district races, rather than just their own.

“With these districts, folks will be empowered to say, ‘I don’t know who I need to talk to, but I know I live in District 3, and Rob Dorans is my councilmember, and I’m going to talk to him first,’” Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans said. 

Election Day is Nov. 7, and of the nine seats, three of the elections will be contested: more than one candidate is vying for the seat in Districts 2, 4 and 5. 

District 2

The West Side district stays largely north of Interstate 70 heading west, including neighborhoods such as Hilliard Green and Sweetwater. For the exact district outline, head here. Nancy Day‐Achauer and Luis Gil will face off for the District 2 seat. 

Day‐Achauer is an ordained minister for the United Methodist Church. As a longtime advocate and organizer, she highlights her work with seniors and families on her website, such as the Ville on the Hill program and a food distribution for low-income residents. She was born on the West Coast, moving to Delaware to earn her master’s at the Methodist Theological School. For more information about Day‐Achauer, her website can be found here. 

Gil works for Ohio Latino Television, according to social media. Although none of the candidates in the race for Columbus City Council is running with their political affiliation, Gil has previously run twice as a GOP candidate for Franklin County commissioner — as recently as 2022. He does not have a website, but his Facebook can be found here. 

District 4

The North Side district loosely follows the eastern border of Interstate 71 heading north and includes North and South Linden and swaths of Northland. For the exact district outline, head here. In the race for District 4, Adrienne Hood is looking to unseat incumbent Emmanuel Remy.

Hood, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant and Columbus City Schools alumna, lost her son Henry Green in 2016 when plain-clothes Columbus police officers fatally shot him in South Linden. She volunteers with numerous community advocacy organizations, including Moms Demand Action. Hood was born and raised in Columbus, and highlights public safety and education, mental healthcare, and affordable housing as policy priorities on her website here. 

Remy took office more than five years ago, and also works as a Realtor. Before serving on Columbus City Council, he led the Northland Community Council for six years, where he advocated for better licensing to crack down on hotels declared a nuisance. In his role on council as the public safety chair, Remy highlights providing “Columbus residents tools for a safer Columbus” as a current priority on his website here. 

District 5

The Northeast Side district falls east of District 4, including Easton. For the exact district outline, head here. Incumbent Nick Bankston is being challenged by Farxaan Jeyte. 

Bankston has been on Columbus City Council since 2022, also serving as the president and CEO of social services organization Gladden Community House, according to his website — where he also highlights his push to create the city’s Civilian Police Review Board. On council, Bankston currently chairs the economic, small and minority business, and technology committees. His website can be found here. 

Jeyte’s family emigrated from Somalia to the United States, settling in Columbus where he attended Linden McKinley High School, and then Ohio Dominican University. He describes himself as an entrepreneur, and on his website outlines numerous issues he would prioritize if elected, from safety to youth issues to business. His website can be found here. 

Uncontested district races

Of the nine races, six of them are uncontested: District 1 (Chris Wyche), District 3 (incumbent Rob Dorans), District 6 (Melissa Green), District 7 (incumbent Shayla Favor), District 8 (incumbent Lourdes Barroso de Padilla) and District 9 (incumbent Council President Shannon Hardin).