Mark your calendar and update your voter registration—it’s almost time to choose our next city council and decide hot-button ordinances.
It’s nearly that time again: the last Tuesday of April in an odd year, the date of the biannual Morgantown Municipal Election—and you’ve got some big decisions to make.
This year’s ballot asks you to hire the next city council representatives for Second, Fourth, and Sixth wards and to decide the direction of two ordinances: the city’s infamous “camping ban” and city manager residence requirements.
Knowledge is power and so is your vote—here’s how to arrive at the polls prepared to wield it.
First, grab a Sharpie and your calendar for these need-to-know dates:
April 7, 2025
The last day to register to vote. On this day, a drive-through voter registration event will be held at the Morgantown Farmers Market. Check your voter status here, and update your registration or register to vote here.
April 16–26, 2025
Early voting at the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m.on Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. No need for special registration—any registered voter within Morgantown city limits is eligible for early voting.
April 29, 2025
Election Day for those who haven’t voted early! Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Find your polling location here.
Next, review the text of the ballot initiatives. Talk with your friends and neighbors—these are important to the city’s future, and lots of people have opinions on them.
Then, you have some resumes to review. Remember: Morgantown residents cast votes for all city council members, not just the representatives from their own wards.
SECOND WARD
Jodi Hollingshead is a Morgantown resident of nearly two decades. Hollingshead’s interest in city council candidacy is rooted in witnessing the change-making power of community collaboration. In 2022, she organized successful efforts to block the opening of a firearms store, Big Daddy Guns, in downtown Morgantown.
Why run for election now? It’s time for some fresh faces, she says. If elected, she aims to prioritize affordable housing, city infrastructure, and greater green spaces—like the Morgantown Greenbelt project that was approved at the March 4, 2025, city council meeting.
“A successful term, for me, would lay the groundwork for sustainable and realistic solutions to our houselessness epidemic,” she says. “I would like to approach the issue with a more people-forward process.”
Hollingshead notes that she has a lot to learn on the topic of affordable housing and expresses interest in collaborating with council members who have valuable insights to share. Cooperation is the key to change, she says. “I think it can be a really enlightening and powerful time for the city council to change how we’re listening to voters, to change how we approach representation, and to make city government a little less of a secret and encourage citizens to get involved.”
Jason Reed is a write-in candidate for Second Ward. Although Reed did not file a Certificate of Announcement to be placed on the ballot, he completed the paperwork needed to become an official write-in candidate. His name will be posted at each polling location.
FOURTH WARD
Jenny Selin is the current council representative and only candidate for Fourth Ward.
With a background on city council spanning back to 2007, Selin is Morgantown’s longest-serving council member—and she says she has unfinished business slated for her ninth term.
She notes her involvement in BOPARC and ongoing projects in infrastructure, including sidewalks and street paving, as well as plans for laying strong foundations for the city’s greenbelt. As for whether she plans to run for reelection again in 2029, she says she’s taking it one year at a time.
In light of low candidacy rates for council seats, Selin says she is appreciative of current candidates’ campaigns. She highlights the Morgantown Citizens Academy, a 10-week course that gives participants a look at Morgantown’s inner workings—and a great resource for future participants in local government.
SIXTH WARD
Mark Downs is a lifelong resident of Morgantown running for election in Sixth Ward.
With more than 20 years of experience at federal government agencies like the FBI, the Department of Defense, and NASA, Downs says his previous life experience has taught him how to work on a team, listen to others, and, most of all, lead.
If elected, Downs will emphasize growth of city revenue, codified policy for affordable housing, new amenities like parks and libraries, and adjustment of municipal election cycles to align with state and federal elections.
His motivation? A lifetime in Morgantown. “Over the years, I have witnessed both the triumphs and challenges that have shaped the city into what it is today. From small changes to major developments, I’ve seen firsthand how decisions made today affect the future,” he says. “By contributing my expertise and perspective, I can help create a more vibrant, sustainable city that will benefit future generations. It’s important to me that we continue to build a community that supports growth while preserving the values that make Morgantown unique.”
Stephanie Hunt is a Morgantown resident of seven years running for election in the Sixth Ward.
In her role as co-chair of the Greenmont Neighborhood Association, Hunt says, she has seen the power of community to revitalize neighborhoods and create lasting change.“It’s really great to see everyone come together to accomplish goals,” she says. “That’s the kind of energy where I thought, ‘I can take this and bring it with me to city council.’”
Hunt emphasizes community-driven solutions for some of residents’ top concerns, like improving pedestrian safety, simplifying the permitting process, and developing solutions for affordable housing. One way she intends to address these issues is by bolstering the city budget with an aggressive approach to applying for grant funding.
If elected, a successful term for Hunt would include visible improvements in the daily lives of Morgantown residents and greater collaboration between intergovernmental agencies, city council, and community groups.
“As a city, we need to be forward-thinking on what people are actively asking for from us,” she says. “I want a city that responds proactively to its residents’ needs instead of reactively.”
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