Jacksonville, Florida is holding elections, including for municipal offices, on March 21, 2023. A number of candidates running in these elections completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
Below is a selection of responses from the candidates who filled out the survey as of March 6, 2023. To read each candidate’s full responses, click their name at the bottom of the article.
Brian Griffin (Independent) (Write-in) is running for mayor of Jacksonville and the general election is on March 21. Here’s how Griffin responded to the question: “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?”
“I would never defund the police, but some changes & additions would help. The Internal Affairs offices should be removed from the Police Headquarters, so there is not intimidation, when an officer wants to report bad actions. We should also include a specially trained unit, to take care of residents with mental problems. This will protect both, residents & police officers. To decrease crime, I will put new streetlights everywhere, proven to reduce crime up to 39%. Streetlights & rumble strips will reduce hit & runs too. In the higher crime areas, I will add turnabouts, speed bumps & rumble strips everywhere, making it hard to drive fast or sneak into a neighborhood, reducing drive-bys. We need to invest in poorer, neglected neighborhoods, eliminating redlining, to improve their ability to start small businesses & improve their lives. We need to show kids they can succeed, no matter where they live. I would begin storm resilience & readiness immediately, raising breakwaters, reinforcing tributary & river edges, get more dependable flood prevention, in most affected areas & in some cases, dredging drainage ditches & tributaries may be necessary.”
Click here to read the rest of Griffin’s answers.
Frank Keasler (R) is running for mayor of Jacksonville and the general election is on March 21. Here’s how Keasler responded to the question: “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?”
“Nothing speaks to the character and nature of a city as their philosophies and actions towards ‘the least of these’. Remember, ‘the humblest [city] of all the world, when clad in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of Error.’ For our city’s light to be seen brightly and vividly, it must cast its illumination to warm, brighten and change the paths of our poor and homeless and embrace those marginalized and victimize by the brokenness of our world. With an ELEVATE NORTHEST program we will deliver the first ever HUD & HHS ‘Regional Life Training Township’ and ‘Campus for Sustained Independence’ (our ‘CSI’). A place where a ‘town center’ of educational -classroom and OJT – and vocational training across as many disciples as are availed, are the focal point of the residents of ‘On Campus Housing’. This is where the able bodied but trapped in generation poverty or otherwise, underserved, citizen of our city, become the B.P.O.C. – the Big People On Campus. A CSI is where we train students to live and, for once, finding a purpose which inspires their applied industry and diligent pursuit towards a purpose and career in a trade or a profession, but always in furtherance of their unique gifts. What we find are lives with the ability to sustain life…independently! Now That’s Freedom! In association with ELEVATE NORTHWEST and our CSI, we present to our city the creation of A HARVEST CITY…The Least of These Feed with the Hands of the Most Precious of These!”
Clickhereto read the rest of Keasler’s answers.
Kamren Stowers (D) is running for Jacksonville City Council District 9 and the general election is on March 21. Here’s how Stowers responded to the question: “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?”
“As a firefighter, I am passionate about promoting public policies that support education in trades and vocational schools. I believe that every student should have the opportunity to pursue a career path that aligns with their strengths and interests, and that includes options beyond the traditional college route. Vocational education and trades provide practical skills and training that can lead to rewarding and fulfilling careers, such as firefighting, plumbing, electrician work, and more. These skills are essential to our economy and society, and they are often in high demand. By promoting vocational education and trades, we can provide young people with an alternative to traditional college education and open up opportunities for them to succeed in their chosen field. As a firefighter, I know firsthand the value of trades and vocational education, and I am committed to advocating for policies that will support the growth and success of these programs.”
Click here to read the rest of Stowers’ answers.
If you’re a Florida candidate or incumbent, click here to take the survey. The survey contains over 30 questions, and you can choose the ones you feel will best represent your views to voters. If you complete the survey, a box with your answers will display on your Ballotpedia profile. Your responses will also populate the information that appears in our mobile app, My Vote Ballotpedia.
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