On Nov. 5, Election Day, Edina voters will choose between three candidates to fill Edina City Council’s two open seats. The Edina City Council Member ballot will include incumbents James Pierce and Carolyn Jackson, and Edina Planning Commission member Ryan Daye.
Since 2021, Pierce has been an Edina City Council Member, prioritizing long-term community investment. Pierre has over 30 years of experience in business and technology leadership, and achievements during his term as a council member include park updates, road safety improvements, establishment of affordable housing, and the ratification of the first Edina Climate Action Plan.
His campaign platform emphasizes humility, collaboration, and the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. Pierce views himself as a servant to the community, rather than a decision-maker, valuing input from residents and city staff. His priorities for the next term are housing affordability for all residents, expanding pedestrian connectivity, broader community engagement, and high-quality community services.
Before joining the Edina City Council, Jackson served as chair of the Edina Energy & Environment Commission and was involved with the Edina Community Foundation and the Edina Public School Foundation. Similar to Pierce, Jackson is an advocate for affordable housing; her strategy calls for a comprehensive focus on both the financial and structural aspects of affordable housing. This strategy focuses on supporting both rental and homeownership opportunities for lower-income families, utilizing financial tools such as tax increment financing to create housing options, and Edina’s responsibility to its community to foster intergenerational wealth.
Jackson also argues that although zoning is essential for shaping the city, there needs to be financial backing in conjunction with zoning changes to effectively create affordable housing solutions.
In addition to affordable housing, Jackson’s campaign centers around environmental sustainability and the promotion of inclusive policies and programs aimed at creating a diverse community that ensures all voices are heard in local governance.
Daye is a Edina resident and volunteer with a background in engineering and project management.
Daye’s campaign details four pillars. Balanced Growth includes the growth of Edina while preserving its unique identity by creating progress through protection and preservation. Trust & Transparency places visibility as a crucial element of government processes that must be followed consistently and open to engagement. The pillar Creative Solutions summarizes his goal of incentivizing change through fostering collaboration between government and stakeholders, which he believes is more cost-effective and allows tailored solutions. The final pillar, Fiscal Responsibility, includes the commitment to wise and effective spending, budgeting that prioritizes essential services without reliance on debt or volatile resources, eliminating waste, and ensuring financial sustainability.
Candidates were not available to comment. The selected Edina City Council Members will begin their four-year term on the first Monday on Jan. 6, 2025.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on November 4, 2024
