Refresher on who's running for Nashville mayor and Metro Council on Sept. 14 | Editorial
Election Day is only days away in Nashville, and voters have important choices to make for mayor and Metro Council in the runoff race.
The early voted period concluded on Sept. 9 and voters have one final opportunity to have their say.
All county voters get to select a mayor and up to four candidates for the four remaining Metro Council At-Large spots. Incumbent Council Member Zulfat Suara received enough votes on Aug. 3 to avoid a runoff.
Residents of District 4, 11 and 29 will be selecting new Council member. The other 32 of 35 district seats were decided in the general election either because a candidate was unopposed or a contender received 50% or more of the vote.
Since the spring, The Tennessean Editorial Board has produced seven digital election guides, four print guides, four debates and numerous related columns to help voters make their decision for the elections. Below, find a refresher on the candidates on the Sept. 14 ballot for Metro Government elected offices.
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Mayor: Freddie O'Connell vs. Alice Rolli
Here is who is running. Scroll to read about why they are running and link to their full questionnaire:
Freddie O'Connell
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Salemtown
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Music/Bachelor of Science, Computer Science from Brown University
Job history: In addition to my work as a Metro Councilmember and for a variety of community organizations and nonprofits, I have over 25 years’ experience in the private sector, primarily in information technology. I’ve fulfilled a wide range of roles to serve our clients’ needs and have used those same skills to help produce better health, educational, and system outcomes.
Family: Freddie is the proud son of Beatrice, a retired school teacher, and Tim, a federal civil servant and part-time songwriter. He and Whitney, a Meharry-educated neurologist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, are raising their two young daughters, Halley, age 12, and Violet, age 5, who attend MNPS schools.
Top priorities: Trash is a basic city service (back-to-basics approach), build a transportation network for all (whether you drive, bike, walk, or take public transit), and having a mayor and a government that residents can trust to solve both basic issues and big picture problems.
Q&A: Real all of Freddie O'Connell's responses
Candidate news profile: As Nashville mayor, Freddie O'Connell would seek to bring hope back to Music City
Alice Rolli
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Edgehil
Education: Hume Fogg High School, Stanford University; BA, International Relations; University of Virginia - Darden School, Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Job history: Alice’s career spans business, education, state, and federal government service. Her executive experience includes leading companies through periods of rapid growth. She is proud of her work helping Music Row dynamo QuaverEd triple in size. As an owner-manager of Worldstrides, the country’s largest student travel organization, she led expansion efforts to more than 50 countries. In government, she has served at both state and federal levels, notably as assistant commissioner of strategy for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development under Governor Bill Haslam. At the federal level she served as special assistant and later campaign manager for U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, the now-retired chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the only person popularly elected both governor and U.S. senator for Tennessee. Early in her career at the height of a teacher shortage, Alice answered the call to serve and taught high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District through the LA District Intern Program.
Family: Alice has been married for 17 years to combat veteran and West Point graduate, Michael Rolli. The couple have two school aged sons. A mixed-faith family, Alice worships at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. A native of Nashville, Alice’s family has a long history in civic life within the Nashville community. Her great-grandfather, Albert F. Ganier helped save Radnor Lake from being sold to develop 300 houses and for his efforts the highest point in the park is named for him. In 1982 her mother, Patricia Kryder, was the first law partner at a major firm in Tennessee - Waller law. Alice draws strength from their legacies in her service to the community.
Top priorities; All first graders reading, improve public safety and reduce crime, get the city’s fiscal house in order and to not raise taxes on residents, and Build a more cooperative relationship with the state.
Q&A: Read all of Alice Rolli's responses
Candidate news profile: As tension grows, Alice Rolli sees Nashville mayor as a bridge between city and state
Metro Council At-Large: Eight candidates
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Here is who is running. Scroll to read about why they are running and link to their full questionnaire:
Burkley Allen
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Hillsboro West End
Education: MSME in Engineering from University of VA, BA in Physics from Davidson College
Job history: Mechanical Engineer at I.C. Thomasson Associates. Served as District Metro Council member (2011-2019); incumbent Metro Council At-Large member (2019-Present).
Family: Husband, Dr. Newton Allen, three children, one grandson
Top priorities: Housing, infrastructure, and education.
Q&A: Read all of Burkley Allen's responses
Chris Cheng
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Old Hickory
Education: Harvard University (Master in Public Policy, Master in Business Administration), University of Southern California (BA in International Relations - Global Business), Ezell-Harding Christian School (Antioch, TN)
Job history: Small Business Owner (Hot Sauce Nashville), Army Ranger Veteran (Kuwait, Afghanistan)
Family: My wife and I were born here in Nashville. Our parents and most of our siblings also live in Middle Tennessee.
Top priorities: Champion our small businesses, non-profits, and local entrepreneurs, invest in our community building assets: parks, greenways, libraries, art hubs, recreation facilities, farmers markets, and community centers, and support safe and sustainable infrastructure: smooth roads, clean water, reliable utilities, green parks, safe sidewalks, attainable housing, internet access, waste management.
Q&A: Read all of Chris Cheng's responses
Quin Evans Segall
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood
Education: University of Alabama - 2003, AB with English and Political Science majors. University of Alabama School of law - 2006, J.D.
Job history: I have practiced law since graduating from law school. I starter my career by completing a federal clerkship and have since been in private practice. My legal career includes the following: 2006-2007: federal judicial clerk in the Eastern District of Kentucky for Hon. Gregory F. VanTatenhove; 2007-2014: associate attorney with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings (in public finance practice group); 2014-2016: practiced as a solo attorney; 2016-2018: associate attorney with Baker Donelson (real estate practice group); 2018-present: attorney with Rebekah Fisher & Associates PLLC (practicing real estate and finance)
Family: I am married to my husband of almost 14 years, Josh, and we have three kids, E.B. (11), Sammy (7), and Lena (3). We live around the corner from my parents, and we're lucky to live just a few miles form my brother and his wife and kids.
Top priorities: Create systems where they are desperately needed for a functioning government and identify and reform of the larger systems that are outdated and leading to an increasingly unlivable and unaffordable Nashville.
Q&A: Read all of Quin Evans-Segall's responses
Olivia Hill
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Bellevue
Education: Hillwood High School 1983; U.S. Navy
Job history: U. S. Navy 1986-1995; Vanderbilt University Power Plant, Senior Supervisor.
Family: I am a single parent of two adult children and four grandchildren.
Top priorities: Improve our infrastructure and utilities, make it easier to travel in this city and find solutions for those who are unhoused.
Q&A: Read all of Olivia Hill's responses
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Howard Jones
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? District 1
Education: I am a proud product of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee StateUniversity (Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology, Master of Education (M.Ed.), and Trevecca Nazarene University (Ed.d) 2023
Job history: Juvenile Court of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Educational Administrator (present), Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church, Senior Pastor (present), Kingdom Cafe Grill & Cafe, Restaurateur (present)
Family: One (1) daughter, Ashea Jones, and one (1) son, Howard Jones, III
Top priorities: Housing affordability, equitable transit and mobility, equitable education and safety.
Q&A: Read all of Howard Jones's responses
Delishia Porterfield
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Castlegate Community; Southeast Nashville
Education: After transferring from Howard University, I earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Africana Studies and a Master (M.Ed.) of Special Education with a concentration of Mild to Moderate Disabilities for students K-12, both from Tennessee State University.
Job history: I currently work as the director of leadership and advocacy for Stand Up Nashville. Prior to getting elected to the council, I worked in public education for almost a decade. I taught students with disabilities and later worked as liaison between the schools, families and the Board of Education to help support some of our most vulnerable students. Served District 29 Metro Council member (2019-2023).
Family: I have a beautiful, smart, sweet and compassionate 16 year old daughter, JaNiya. We also have 2 rescue fur babies; an American Pit-Bull Terrier named 7 and a kitten named Violet.
Top priorities: I am focused on ensuring that working people in Nashville have an opportunity to thrive. That means creating more affordable housing, increasing wages for metro workers and creating more opportunities for diverse voices on Metro’s boards and commissions.
Q&A: Read all of Delishia Porterfield's responses
Russ Pulley
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Green Hills
Education: Bachelor of Science in Governmental Administration, Christopher Newport University; Master in Public Administration student, University of North Carolina
Job history: Firefighter/Paramedic, Chesapeake, VA Fire Dept; Police Officer, Va Beach, VA Police Dept; State Trooper, Va State Police; Investigator, U.S. Dept of Labor; Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation. served District 25 Metro Council member (2015-2023)
Family: Two sons: G. R. Pulley, Hillsboro High School graduate, Lipscomb University graduate (Bachelors in Education). Special Education teacher and football coach most recently at Maplewood High School. Garland Pulley, Hillsboro High School graduate, Art Institute graduate (Bachelor of Arts in Audio Production). Davidson County Sheriff's Office programming dept. teaching horticulture skills to inmates.
Top priorities: Public safety, deconcentrating poverty, collaboratively work with the state, and affordability and responsible growth.
Q&A: Read all of Russ Pulley's responses
Jeff Syracuse
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Donelson
Education: Bachelors of Music - MTSU / MBA in Technology Management - University of Phoenix
Job history: Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) - 24 years, served District 15 Metro Council member (2015-2023)
Family: Wife - Gina, singer/songwriter/food business entrepreneur. Son - Joey, 21, Aerospace Engineering major at UT Knoxville
Top priorities: Helping bridge the intersection between transit and affordable housing via Tier 1 centers as envisioned in NashvilleNext, creating local policy efforts to support our Music City ecosystem, and supporting historic and cultural preservation to help us truly become a great international city.
Q&A: Read all of Jeff Syracuse's responses
Metro Council District candidates
Here is who is running for Districts 4, 11 and 29. Scroll to read about why they are running and link to their full questionnaire:
District 4: Davette Blalock
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Nippers Corner
Education: Some college, professional schools
Job history: Real Estate, Insurance, and Financial Planning for the last 32-plus years, Metro Council member (2011-2019)
Family: Husband and two children, Victoria age 17, Lance age 14
Top priorities: Continue the job that Council Member Robert Swope started with the bettering of traffic flow including the roundabout on Edmondson Pike and widening of Nolensville Pike and OHB, complete the Park on Edmondson Pike, help make several metro departments more efficient, including being able to reach someone when help is needed, and develop strategies to reduce current deficit.
Q&A: Read all of Davette Blalock's responses
District 4: Mike Cortese
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Mountainview
Education: Master's Degree
Job history: Adjunct Professor at Belmont University + Opportunity Development Manager at Dell Technologies
Family: Married with 1 son
Top priorities: Keeping Nashville affordable, reinvesting revenue from downtown back into our communities: road upgrades, sidewalks, greenspaces, community services, public safety, and making sure there is a strong dialogue and line of communication between the city government and District 4 Residents.
Q&A: Read all of Mike Cortese's responses
District 11: Jeff Eslick
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Old Hickory
Education: Bachelor's degree in mass communication from MTSU.
Job history: I was a marketing consultant and sales manager with WKDF, WGFX and Titans Radio for almost 20 years before starting an advertising agency in 2013.
Family: My father served in Vietnam and passed away many years ago. Growing up, it was my mother, my sister and me. Currently, I am not married and have two dogs.
Top priorities: Keeping Nashville safe, managing growth and addressing illegal encampments
Q&A: Read all of Jeff Eslick's responses
District 11: Eric A. Patton
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Old Hickory Village
Education: Associate's
Job history: Marketing/small business owner
Family: I have a dog named Maybelle. Otherwise no spouse or human kids.
Top priorities: Schools, services and support for small businesses
Q&A: Read all of Eric Patton's responses
District 29: Tasha Ellis
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? South Nashville / Smith Springs / Percy Priest Lake
Education: MBA
Job history: Founder, Ellis Strategies
Family: None
Top priorities: Public safety, homelessness, and early childhood and youth development
Q&A: Read all of Tasha Ellis's responses
District 29: John Reed
What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Antioch
Education: Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Martin
Job history: Consultant:
Family: I am grateful to have my supportive partner of seven years, Cobey, by my side. The rest of my family, which includes my mother, grandparents, godparents, and siblings, live in West Tennessee.
Top priorities: I am focused on keeping Nashville affordable, expanding and improving city services and increasing the pay of our city workers, teachers and first responders. I am also a big advocate for public transit and increasing the connectivity and walkability of every neighborhood.
Q&A: Read all of John Reed's responses
Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas wrote this editorial on behalf of The Tennessean Editorial Board. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville runoff election: Who's running for mayor, Metro Council