{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Marc Scruggs","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMarcus Leonard Scruggs Jr., known as Marc Scruggs, is a candidate for Raleigh City Council District E in the November 3, 2026 general election, challenging incumbent Christina Jones, who has served on the council since 2022 [2][3]. Scruggs previously served two terms on the Raleigh City Council; his campaign site describes this as \"1995-1999\" [1], while Indy Week reports the more specific span of 1995 to 1997 and 1999 to 2001, per Wikipedia [2] -- both sources agree on two terms but differ on the exact years, so both are noted here. During his council service he chaired the Economic Development Committee and says he played a role in project agreements including the Lenovo Center and the NC Museum of History [1].\n\nScruggs's 2026 campaign priorities include keeping the city tax rate flat, preventing crime, and balancing growth with affordability [1].\n\n## Background and education\nScruggs is a Raleigh native and graduate of Ravenscroft High School, where he was elected Class President, Vice President, and later President of the Student Government Association. He earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors from East Carolina University and later a Master of Education degree with Highest Honors from Campbell University [1].\n\n## Career\nScruggs has worked as Head Men's and Women's Varsity Soccer Coach at Broughton High School in Raleigh, and had long-term employment at two historic Raleigh businesses, Briggs Hardware and Brown-Wynne Funeral Home. At age 60, he earned a North Carolina Funeral Director's license through Fayetteville Technical Community College and became a licensed funeral director at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home [1]. Indy Week's archive describes Scruggs as having changed party registration from Republican to Democrat and back to Republican over the years, and notes that his grandfather James Briggs was mayor of Raleigh from 1951 to 1953 [2].\n\n## Office history\nScruggs served two terms on the Raleigh City Council, chairing the Economic Development Committee; sources give the span as 1995-1999 (his campaign site) or, more specifically, 1995 to 1997 and 1999 to 2001 (Indy Week, citing Wikipedia) [1][2].\n\n## Family\nScruggs and his wife have been married for 40 years and have two daughters [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Marc Scruggs for Raleigh City Council \u2013 Campaign Website](https://www.marc4raleigh.com/)\n[2] [Who's Running for Raleigh City Council \u2013 Indy Week](https://indyweek.com/news/whos-running-raleigh-city-council/)\n[3] [Raleigh City Council Elections 2026 \u2013 Raleigh Public Record](https://news.raleighpublicrecord.org/news/2026/01/10/raleigh-city-council-elections-2026-candidates-new-term-structure/)","firstname":"Marcus","lastname":"Scruggs","middlename":"Leonard","suffix":"JR","token":"f08c271d09101fd4"},"token":"-jW6pctnuuiLCayr"},{"candidatename":"Christina Jones","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"","person":{"biography":"Christina Racquel Jones is the incumbent member of the Raleigh City Council representing District\u202fE and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election for that seat\u202f[1][4]. She first won the District\u202fE seat in November\u202f2022, defeating incumbent David Knight, and was re\u2011elected in 2024, beating John Cerqueira\u202fIII\u202f[1]. Her current term runs from December\u202f5,\u202f2022 through 2026\u202f[1].\n\nBorn in Orlando, Florida, Jones earned her high\u2011school diploma from Dr.\u202fPhillips High School and graduated in 2007 with a B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University\u202f[1][6]. After moving to Raleigh in 2012 with her husband Adam, she worked in restaurant management for a decade before the pandemic prompted a career shift\u202f[6]. She later became a certified substitute teacher in December\u202f2021 and has taught in elementary, middle, and high schools\u202f[6].\n\nJones\u2019s public\u2011service path began with neighborhood volunteering and participation in free city\u2011offered classes such as Raleigh Neighborhood College and the Citizens Leadership Academy\u202f[4][6]. She joined the local Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), serving as Vice\u2011Chair and then Chair in 2019, before the council\u2019s dissolution in 2020\u202f[6]. She subsequently served on the Raleigh Parks Board, sitting on all four of its subcommittees, and engaged in numerous public\u2011comment sessions\u202f[6][8].\n\nOn the Council, Jones serves on the Community Safety and Quality of Life Committee and the Transit and Transportation Committee, and acts as liaison to the Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council\u202f[4]. Her stated priorities include strengthening infrastructure and public safety, expanding civic education and community engagement, and guiding thoughtful, inclusive growth and housing development\u202f[4][7]. She emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and making city government accessible through neighborhood meetings, a \u201cDecoding Democracy\u201d book club, and regular town halls\u202f[4][7].\n\nThroughout her tenure, Jones has organized regular community meetings, advocated for resident input in city planning, and promoted civic education through free classes and outreach initiatives\u202f[7][8]. She highlights achievements such as improving storm\u2011water management, supporting first\u2011responders, and fostering partnerships that make Raleigh\u2019s government more responsive to its nearly 500,000 residents\u202f[4][7]. Jones lives in northwest Raleigh with her husband and two daughters, Annalise and Elizabeth\u202f[4][6].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Christina Jones - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Christina_Jones)\n- [4] [Christina Jones | Raleighnc.gov](https://raleighnc.gov/city-council/christina-jones)\n- [5] [Christina Jones](https://christinaforraleigh.com/)\n- [6] [Christina For Raleigh](https://christinaforraleigh.com/about-christina)\n- [7] [Christina Jones - Directory - Run For Something](https://directory.runforsomething.net/candidate/8a107d134c5857d1a4b9be05573546fa/jones-christina/)\n- [8] [Christina Jones - Run For Something](https://directory.runforsomething.net/candidate/3029/jones-christina/)\n- [11] [District E Raleigh City Councilor Christina Jones announced her ...](https://www.facebook.com/RaleighMagazine/posts/district-e-raleigh-city-councilor-christina-jones-announced-her-bid-for-reelecti/1506791081014859/)","firstname":"Christina","lastname":"Jones","middlename":"Racquel","suffix":null,"token":"8763fbc611eca027"},"token":"6AGj2Eoh_w1wYK1B"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"city_council","o.office":"city_council","office":"city_council","officedescription":"A city council member (alderman in some towns) serves on the municipality's legislative body, approving the city budget, setting the tax rate, and passing ordinances and resolutions. Members represent a district or the city at large.","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on city matters \u2014 ordinances, services, and land use.\n- Budget literacy: the council approves the city budget and sets the city property-tax rate.\n- Legislative process: drafting, amending, and voting on ordinances and resolutions; committee work.\n- Constituent relations within the district or city.\n- Familiarity with the city charter and municipal issues such as utilities, transit, development, and blight.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"City Council Member","partisan":0,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"City Of Raleigh City Council District E"}