By Flint. Daily. and EVM Staff

Voters in Flint’s Second Ward have an interesting primary election before them this year, with two incumbent councilmembers on the ballot after ward boundary changes, as well as a former Second Ward councilman, a former Second Ward candidate, and a newcomer. The ward is currently represented by Ladel Lewis, who was elected to the seat in November 2021.

The Second Ward shares borders with Flint’s First, Third, Fifth and Sixth Wards, and includes multiple community institutions, like Berston Field House and the Neighborhood Engagement Hub. It also features multiple parks, such as Sarvis Park and Bassett Park, and abuts the former Buick City industrial site on its east side. The ward’s boundaries are visible on the city’s interactive map.

The designated boundaries of Ward 2 in the City of Flint. (Image courtesy City of Flint)

Five candidates are on the Aug. 4 primary ballot: Maurice Davis, LaQuindra Hodge, LaShawn Johnson (Third Ward Incumbent), Ladel Lewis (Incumbent), and Audrey Young. The top two vote-getters will advance and face each other in the general election on Nov. 3. All five candidates responded to a questionnaire by East Village Magazine and Flint. Daily. leadership that was designed to provide readers with a brief snapshot of each candidate’s background, experience, history and connection with Flint, priorities should they win their seat, and their thoughts on recent examples of Flint City Council votes. Their responses are listed alphabetically by last name 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 last week.

We will publish one story each day in this order:

*Editor’s note: the above publication schedule has been adjusted to allow a candidate who experienced a family emergency enough time to submit responses.

All candidates in a primary, including certified write-ins, were 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:

  • Maurice Davis: 69.
  • LaQuindra Hodge: Not relevant.
  • LaShawn Johnson: 55.
  • Ladel Lewis: 46.
  • Audrey Young: 61.

Occupation/relevant professional experience:

  • Davis: Business owner.
  • Hodge: Accounting.
  • Johnson: School Bus Driver. Teamsters Union Rep.
  • Lewis: Flint City Council.
  • Young: Occupational Therapist with 24+ years of experience combined within the schools, nursing home, home care, acute care serving from 0-100+ years of age.

Education:

  • Davis: Professional training across a variety of fields.
  • Hodge: High school graduate with some college experience.
  • Johnson: Wiley College- degree not completed.
  • Lewis: PhD in sociology from Western Michigan University.
  • Young: Associates degree as Medical/Legal/Word processing, cert/Medical transcription, Bach Degree Occupational Therapy, MBA/HCA.

How long have you lived in Flint?

  • Davis: 69 years.
  • Hodge: Born and raised in Flint, Michigan.
  • Johnson: 55 years.
  • Lewis: Over 30 years.
  • Young: Entire life with periodic relocation to both Cleveland and Cincinnati for a combined 14 years.

How long have you lived in your ward?

  • Davis: 50 years.
  • Hodge: 11 years.
  • Johnson: 55 years.
  • Lewis: Decades.
  • Young: 17 years.

What neighborhood or area of your ward do you live in?

  • Davis: Civic Park.
  • Hodge: Ballenger Road area.
  • Johnson: Originally Third Ward, my district was changed to Second.
  • Lewis: Sarvis Park Community.
  • Young: Off McClellan and Brownell.

Do you own or rent/lease a residence outside of your ward? If so, how often do you stay there?

  • Davis: I own my home and business, inside my ward.
  • Hodge: No I do not own or lease a second property in another ward.
  • Johnson: Own.
  • Lewis: Yes. Rarely.
  • Young: No, I live in my primary residence.

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?

  • Davis: Yes.
  • Hodge: I will absolutely file all my campaign statements by the deadlines should I exceed more than $1,000.
  • Johnson: Due diligence will be executed.
  • Lewis: Yes.
  • Young: Yes, I have reported in the past and will continue to abide by the rules.

What things do you enjoy doing in the city for fun or in your spare time?

  • Davis: Concerts.
  • Hodge: I enjoy going to the library and I go for walks downtown.
  • Johnson: Community cleanups, walking, encouraging children, community festivals.
  • Lewis: FIA, FIM, Sloan Museum, Gloria Coles Library. 
  • Young: Parks, community engagement, all of the activities in the cultural area, McCree Theater, book stores.

What boards or community organizations have you been involved with?

  • Davis: Economic Development, Historic District, Brownfield Development, City Council. 
  • Hodge: I am not affiliated with any organizations.
  • Johnson: Community activist.
  • Lewis: Founder of Sarvis Park Neighborhood Association; ReCast Board; KWA BOARD; Evaluation Chairperson for the National Organization Blacks in Government (BIG); Donna Edwards Congressional Advisory Committee; Appointed by the Governor of Maryland to the Citizens Review Board for Disadvantaged Children; Appointed by the Prince George’s County Executive to the Commission for Women.
  • Young: Gloria Coles Flint Public Library (sec. and trustee), Flint NOI-MGT/GCC Point of Contact, Juneteenth, Kwanzaa, Democracy Defense.

What made you decide to run for City Council?

  • Davis: To stop foreclosures, help with home owners rehab funding, lower property taxes.
  • Hodge: I ran for Flint City Council because I love Flint. I feel Flint can be turned around and once again be a safer, beautiful, thriving, productive city again. I will serve and represent this community, increase transparency, and implement a comprehensive public safety plan. I will hold government agencies accountable and tackle local infrastructure and economic issues.
  • Johnson: I was born and raised in this great city of Flint. I raised my children here. I love people, I have a desire to serve and help people. No one has to make me do my job.
  • Lewis: I didn’t run for City Council to become a politician. I ran because I love this community and was already serving it. For years, I organized neighborhood meetings, advocated for residents, cleaned parks, connected families with resources, and worked to make our neighborhoods safer. I realized that serving on the City Council would allow me to fight for the policies, funding, and accountability our residents deserve. Every decision I make is guided by one question: How does this improve the lives of the people I represent? That’s why I ran, and that’s why I continue to serve.
  • Young: To help be a catalyst for change. We need honest and transparent people to lead our community.

What separates you from other candidates in your primary election race?

  • Davis: Everything, cause I mean what I say.
  • Hodge: I am the  only candidate running in my ward that does not currently hold a City Council seat and has never served on City Council. It’s time for a change to better serve our community. (Editor’s Note: Audrey Young also has not previously held a City Council seat).
  • Johnson: I won as a write-in candidate in last year’s special election. History was made and I spent endless hours in the community speaking with people, helping people. My heartbeat is for my ward. 
  • Lewis: My unmatched community résumé, accessibility, and commitment to producing results are what truly set me apart. I didn’t wait for a title to start making a difference. I organized neighborhood associations, hosted monthly community conversations, advocated for residents, partnered with organizations to bring resources into our neighborhoods, and worked side by side with volunteers to improve the quality of life in the 2nd Ward. My record isn’t built on promises. It’s built on results. From fighting blight and expanding fire safety initiatives, to creating opportunities for youth, supporting seniors, and connecting families with critical resources, my work speaks for itself. Residents know they can reach me, and they know I will respond. Experience and consistency matters. I have demonstrated that I will show up, listen, collaborate, and deliver. My campaign is simply a continuation of the work I’ve been doing for years.
  • Young: Honesty. I have been out serving the community both during and out of election season,  have experience in business finance, leadership, and creating positive advances in business.

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?

  • Davis: I’m a leader that knows how to unify, we must work as a professional body to move the city and the residents forward.
  • Hodge: I believe the people of our city expect their elected leaders to work together, even when they have different opinions. Healthy disagreement is a normal part of government, but it should always remain respectful and focused on serving residents rather than personal conflicts.
  • Johnson: Respect is the foundation for civility. I set an example by being inclusive and focusing on moving the city of Flint forward. If you are looking for a leader, look no further. 
  • Lewis: My approach is simple: disagree without being disagreeable. I will continue to seek common ground, meet with colleagues one-on-one when necessary, and maintain open lines of communication with the mayor’s office. When we work together, we are able to secure resources, improve public safety, strengthen neighborhoods, and deliver better services for our residents.
  • Young: Find ways of positive communication. We may not always agree, but we should communicate with mutual respect, transparency, and without favoritism.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city?

  • Davis: Gentrification of the poor.
  • Hodge: Violence, blight, homelessness, infrastructure issues, and of course our water.
  • Johnson: Rising from the catastrophic water crisis. The city needs healing and roadmap to crime prevention, blight enforcement, and economic sustainability. 
  • Lewis: Flint faces several significant challenges, but I believe the three most pressing are public safety, neighborhood revitalization, and economic opportunity.
  • Young: Disunity, lack of transparency, and the citizens lack trust in current leadership.

What do you see as Flint’s greatest assets or opportunities for the future?

  • Davis: Opportunity to include everyone, no resident left behind.
  • Hodge: Flint’s greatest asset has never been just one thing, it has always been its people and its rich manufacturing history.
  • Johnson: We have an infrastructure for manufacturing and development. Being centrally located to railroad and water hubs. Flint has the blueprint for a thriving economy.
  • Lewis: Flint’s greatest asset has always been its people. We are a resilient, hardworking community that continues to persevere despite decades of challenges. Our residents, neighborhood leaders, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, educators, and small businesses are deeply invested in Flint’s future, and that spirit of service is something you cannot manufacture. Beyond our people, Flint has tremendous opportunities. We are home to world-class educational institutions, outstanding healthcare systems, a growing arts and cultural community, and organizations that are committed to investing in our city. We also have strategic transportation access, available land for redevelopment, and historic neighborhoods that are ready for reinvestment.
  • Young: Resilience. We have the ability to come back from all adversity.

What would be your three top priorities should you be elected?

  • Davis: Amend resolutions to remove stipulations for home owner occupied rehab, make the city work for the residents, grandfather taxes for Flint residents.
  • Hodge: Public safety, budget management, water stabilization. 
  • Johnson: Blight. Crime. Jobs.
  • Lewis: Public safety, neighborhood revitalization, and economic opportunity.
  • Young: Fighting crime, blight, and helping to balance the budget by ownership of our pre-emergency management status.

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?

  • Davis: The moratorium is a delay, I strongly oppose data centers, the residents are already struggling and on fixed incomes. With the additional taxes, pollution of water and air, it’s a NO  for me.
  • Hodge: I am not prepared to say whether I support or oppose a one-year moratorium on the proposed data center at this time. Before making a decision that could have long-term economic, environmental, and community impacts, I believe it is my responsibility to conduct additional research, review the available facts, and listen to input from residents, subject matter experts, and stakeholders.
  • Johnson: I do not support the data center development. My residents opposed and I listened to their concerns.
  • Lewis: Yes. It gives elected officials and residents the opportunity to learn more about data centers.
  • Young: Yes, until we get more info on data centers and long-term effects of it. We need to find other resources and locations that will make us all safe

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?

  • Davis: Everyone has a right to choose. Everybody has rights.
  • Hodge: As a public servant, I believe it is important to recognize and respect the diversity of our community. Pride Month is an opportunity to acknowledge the experiences and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals who are part of our city.
  • Johnson: I love all people.
  • Lewis: Yes, because it was my idea. I also championed (resolutions for) Black History Month as well as Women’s History Month. 
  • Young: Why is this a question? It’s a matter of personal preference. I believe everyone should be able to live free from fear of harm and discrimination.

Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a violent or financial crime, and if so, how was it resolved? [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 that do exist or public accusations that have been made that voters may be aware of.]

  • Davis: None.
  • Hodge: No.
  • Johnson: No.
  • Lewis: No.
  • Young: No. Never. I don’t agree with this question either.  

Do you have a campaign website or social media pages for voters to learn more about you?

Lead image caption: The City of Flint’s Second Ward Flint City Council candidates for the 2026 primary election. From left to right: Maurice Davis, LaQuindra Hodge, LaShawn Johnson, Ladel Lewis, and Audrey Young. (Photos courtesy of candidates or candidate’s campaign page)