Grace Greene

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Grace Greene

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 3, 2025

Education

High school

Jackson Preparatory School

Bachelor's

Mississippi College, 2004

Graduate

Southern New Hampshire University, 2008

Personal

Religion

Christian

Profession

Entrepreneur

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Personal Facebook

Grace Greene (independent) ran for election to the Jackson City Council to represent Ward 1 in Mississippi. She lost in the general election on June 3, 2025.

Greene completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Grace Greene earned a high school diploma from Jackson Preparatory School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Mississippi College in 2004 and a graduate degree from Southern New Hampshire University in 2008. Her career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, an adjunct professor of international business and development for Belhaven University, and a certified childbirth educator and birth doula. Greene also worked in international economic development in Peru. She has been affiliated with the League of Women Voters, Working Together Jackson, and Women for Progress.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in Jackson, Mississippi (2025)

General election

General election for Jackson City Council Ward 1

Incumbent Ashby Foote defeated Grace Greene and Jasmine Barnes in the general election for Jackson City Council Ward 1 on June 3, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Ashby Foote (Independent)	33.5	1,739
		Grace Greene (Independent)	33.4	1,731
	Submit photo	Jasmine Barnes (D)	33.1	1,716
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	4

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,190
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Jackson City Council Ward 1

Jasmine Barnes defeated Stephen Thompson, Jessica Carter, and Rhoda Barnes in the Democratic primary for Jackson City Council Ward 1 on April 1, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Jasmine Barnes	59.1	2,535
	Submit photo	Stephen Thompson	18.5	792
	Submit photo	Jessica Carter	11.2	481
	Submit photo	Rhoda Barnes	5.7	243
		Other/Write-in votes	5.6	240

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,291
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Greene in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Grace Greene completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Greene's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a wife, mom of 4, and entrepreneur who has started several successful businesses. I have an undergraduate degree in Social Work and Spanish and a Masters degree in Community Economic Development and have spent the majority of my career working as an entrepreneur. In my twenties, I worked in international economic development in Peru, implementing community-based savings projects and starting a fair trade business that created jobs for Peruvian women. I taught International Business and Development as an adjunct professor at Belhaven University. When I began having children, I realized the need for pregnancy and birth support in Jackson, and became a certified childbirth educator and birth doula, working with over 200 local families through my business, Grace in Birthing. Throughout my professional career, I have always sought to find creative solutions to address unmet community needs. I have extensive volunteer experience across multiple sectors. I am passionate about seeing Jackson thrive. I know that we can work together to improve our city, attract businesses and homeowners, and make Jackson a capital city the entire state is proud of.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Responsiveness & transparency to constituents: Ward 1 residents desire frequent and open lines of communication with their Council member. They deserve an elected official who responds to needs promptly and proactively. I will keep residents of Ward 1 up to date on what is going on in city hall and make sure issues that are brought to my attention are dealt with in a timely manner.
• Promoting economic development: I will make sure business and construction permits are processed quickly so businesses do not face delays in opening or expanding. I will look at coordinating business improvement districts and obtaining grants to benefit the community.
• Crime & Safety: Everyone has the right to live a life free from violence. We must bring together law enforcement, community leaders, and citizens to implement violence prevention and reduction strategies to keep everyone safe.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about economic development through bringing new businesses to our community and workforce development. I know that economic options in a community can help reduce crime, draw new residents that increase the tax base, and promote development across a variety of sectors.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The city council is the government entity that most closely touches your everyday lives. They are the ones who make sure that city budgets are done on time so that essential services like trash pickup and street repairs happen on a regular basis. This is why it is important to have someone representing you on the council who is responsive to constituents, as they are the first level of contact with the local government. Because of this, it is important to have people elected to the city council who will be responsive to constituents when needs are expressed. Because we are members of the communities we serve, we should be proactive to address problems because we know what is going on in our communities.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

"The Small and the Mighty" by Sharon McMahon- she shows how people who are willing to work hard for the good of others can accomplish amazing things for their communities and country.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Responsiveness to constituents; honesty and integrity; a strong work ethic; a willingness to be prepared for council meetings by reading the meeting agenda ahead of time; a willingness to serve everyone in the ward.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Approving city budgets, passing city ordinances, responding to consituent concerns by serving as an advocate in city hall to the citizens they are elected to serve.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of serving others above myself. I want my community to be a better place because of me. I want to serve others who are less fortunate than I am, and lift them up to provide opportunities they otherwise wouldn't have. I want to be a beacon of hope and optimism for our city.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

If the city council does not approve budgets for city services, they will not happen. This is how the trash crisis of 2023 happened, when our city did not have trash pickup for 18 days. The city council has the power to also keep businesses from opening if they don't approve their permits. This is why it is important to have council members who look out for the good of the community and its citizens rather than play political games.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is sometimes beneficial, but everyone must get their start in politics somewhere. New ideas and fresh perspectives are also important, especially when office holders are not serving their communities well.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

A good work ethic; honesty and integrity; curiosity to learn; humility; responsiveness to constituents.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

City services can be brought to a standstill if the city council does not agree on budgets and move things forward. This is the most basic form of government that affects everyone's daily lives.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

It is incredibly important for anyone serving in an elected position to uphold the highest ethical standards. Campaign finance reports should be reported on time, statements of economic interest should be complete and honest, and candidates should be truthful in the information they share about themselves to voters. Similarly, the city council and city government should make sure that budgets are transparent and audits and financial statements are completed on time, so that constituents know how their government is spending tax dollars.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Jackson City Council Ward 1

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