STARKVILLE — Christine Williams qualified Tuesday to run as a Democrat in the Ward 1 alderman race.
If she gets through the Democratic primary to the general election, she could face a rematch with Republican incumbent Ben Carver, who edged her by 19 votes in the general election four years ago.
Williams, 48, has lived in Starkville for 15 years, all in Ward 1, and is a lecturer in the department of communication at Mississippi State University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology from the University of Georgia, a master’s in public policy and administration from MSU and is a doctoral candidate for that program, according to an email announcing her candidacy.
She is the president of the Starkville High School Singers’ Parent Booster Club and serves as treasurer for the SHS Theatre Booster Club. She has also volunteered with the Starkville Community Theatre Play Selection Committee.
Williams told The Dispatch there is a “definite need” for accessible leadership in her ward and an accurate voice that represents the majority of its residents.
“I want people to know I’m accessible, and that I have the education, the desire and the skills to do this job,” Williams said. “I feel like we’re entitled to that and we deserve it.
“In the time I’ve lived here, I’ve never felt fully represented,” she added. “We need to make sure people are heard.”
In her announcement, she outlined neighborhood flooding, residential sewer issues, youth criminal justice reform, building a strong community and COVID-19 economic recovery as priorities.
“There are too many streets that flood when it rains and I continue to hear from too many neighbors about sewer backing up in their bathrooms,” Williams wrote. “I want to work to fix those problems for our community by building relationships across the city government to get things done.”
The deadline to qualify is 5 p.m. Friday.
Party primaries are set for April 6. The general election is June 8.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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