The votes have been counted! Emerson Valley’s election for two of the four seats on the City Council were up for grabs this year. There was also a ticket for Emerson County Sheriff, but that race is still too close to call. Being a countywide election, it will take a bit longer to settle the matter. However, Emerson Valley was able to tally up all the votes for the local government positions, with over 12,300 residents casting their ballots.

Incumbent James Winthrop (Dem.) defeated Stacy Griffin (Rep.) for the third seat on the City Council, and incumbent Aaron Hodge (Dem.) overcame Mickey Driver (Rep.) for the fourth seat. This will be both Mr. Winthrop and Mr. Hodge’s second term on the City Council. They surprised many people when they beat their predecessors by a substantial margin, so it isn’t surprising to see them re-elected with similar numbers to last time.

Mr. Winthrop retired from his job as an investment banker around five years ago, and he has dedicated himself to serving the people of Emerson Valley full-time. He is also an ardent proponent of community service, and he can be spotted participating in social events designed to help the underprivileged, as well as pushing for donations to the various charities he supports.

When asked what made him run for a seat on the City Council instead of enjoying the peace and quiet of retirement, Mr. Winthrop replied, “I’ve never been the sort to just sit back and lounge around all day. I have to constantly be doing something with my time and energy, or else it feels like the walls are closing in around me. This gives me a place to go and problems to solve, which is not unlike how my first marriage played out.”

Mr. Hodge is a carpenter, spending his entire adult life in the fields of construction and carpentry. “It’s pretty wild, right?” he said during a press conference at City Hall. “I’m thrilled that the people of this town re-elected me. Heck, I’m still thrilled they elected me in the first place four years ago. I didn’t expect to get a second term, but here I am!”

We would like to congratulate the two returning City Council members, and wish them all the best during their upcoming terms.

-Sarah Donovan, Editor & Local News, Emerson Valley Gazette