Published in partnership with East Village Magazine
Voters in Flint’s Ninth Ward will have a new city council representative next year, as incumbent Jonathan Jarrett was disqualified from the ballot for failing to reach the signature collection requirement in April, leaving only one candidate — Michael J. Harris — on the ballot on November 3.
Harris will look to bring stability to a seat that has had some rapid turnover in recent years — the winner of the seat will be the third person serving the ward since 2024. Jarrett won a special election in 2024 after then-Councilwoman Eva Worthing was recalled. Worthing had previously served in the seat since 2018.
The Ninth Ward encompasses large portions of the city’s southeast side, including Thread Lake, Flint Golf Club, and a small portion of downtown Flint. The ward’s boundaries are visible on the city’s interactive map.
Although Harris is running unopposed on the ballot, he still responded to our candidate questionnaire to share more about his background and reasons for running with voters prior to the election. His responses are below.
More background about the questionnaire, our methodology, and the partnership between East Village Magazine and Flint. Daily. publications is available in our story announcing the collaboration over the summer.
We will continue adding links to candidate responses to our questionnaires to the list below and update it in future stories over the next week.
- Mott Community College Board of Trustees
- Flint Community Schools Board of Education
- Beecher Community Schools Board of Education
- Westwood Heights Community Schools Board of Education
- Probate Judge
- Ninth Ward
- Eighth Ward
- Seventh Ward
- Sixth Ward
- Fifth Ward
- Fourth Ward
- Third Ward
- Second Ward
- First Ward
- Mayoral Election
All candidates in are contacted at their publicly-available email address and phone number listed on their filing forms to take part in this series. However, not every candidate responded to our questionnaire. It will be noted in the coming stories if a candidate did not respond and what attempts were made to contact them. For questions, please reach out to us at team@flintdaily.news or eastvillagemagazineflint@gmail.com.
Age:
Michael J. Harris: 58
Occupation/relevant professional experience:
Harris: Business owner.
Education:
Harris: Flint Northwestern High School.
How long have you lived in Flint?
Harris: All my life.
How long have you lived in your ward?
Harris: 15 years.
What neighborhood or area of your ward do you live in?
Harris: Circle Drive area.
Do you own or rent/lease a residence outside of your ward? If so, how often do you stay there?
Harris: Owner.
Do you promise voters that you will file your campaign finance statements by all required pre- and post-election deadlines for the primary and general election? If not, have you filed a Reporting Waiver and promise voters that your campaign will not receive or expend more than $1,000 in your election bid, per that waiver’s requirement?
Harris: Yes.
What things do you enjoy doing in the city for fun or in your spare time?
Harris: Farmers, Market, basketball games, Berston Field House, and the Flint Development Center.
What boards or community organizations have you been involved with?
Harris: Founder, Coalition for Positive Youth Development (CPYD); Flint Development Center Founder; MDP State Central Committee; Chair Genesee County Democratic Black Caucus; N.A.A.C.P Actso Program Chair; President, Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame; and many more.
What made you decide to run for City Council?
Harris: To give a voice to working class people.
What separates you from other candidates in your election?
Harris: My experience.
The City Council has long been plagued by difficult working relationships among council members and with the mayor’s office. How would you create a healthier environment on council and with the mayor to move city business forward?
Harris: My maturity will help me to work in the best interest of the people of Flint.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city?
Harris: Jobs, crime, blight, and being innovative.
What do you see as Flint’s greatest assets or opportunities for the future?
Harris: The determination of our people.
What would be your three top priorities should you be elected?
Harris: Jobs, crime, and fighting blight.
The Flint City Council recently passed a 1-year moratorium on data center developments in the city. Do you agree with that resolution? Why or why not?
Harris: Yes. We need to understand what this means for Flint and its future.
The Flint City Council recently passed a permanent resolution recognizing June as Pride Month in honor of Flint’s LGBTQIA+ residents. Do you support that resolution? Why or why not?
Harris: Yes. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard.
Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a violent or financial crime, and if so, how was it resolved?
[EDITOR’s NOTE: This question is not intended as a judgement on a candidate’s criminal history. We do not believe that a criminal history should be a barrier to anyone holding elected office. Rather, this is an opportunity for a candidate to directly respond to voters regarding any public criminal or financial records or accusations that do exist in the public domain and address them in their own words.]
Harris: No.
Do you have a campaign website or social media pages for voters to learn more about you?
Harris: BigMikeHarris.com, coming soon.
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