Jim Kinneman (Oak Ridge Town Council, North Carolina, candidate 2025)
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Jim Kinneman is running for election to the Oak Ridge Town Council in North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Kinneman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Jim Kinneman provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 3, 2025:
- High school: Keansburg High School
- Associate: Suffolk Community College, 1996
- Military service: United States Air Force, 1974-1980
- Gender: Male
- Profession: Software Consultant
- Incumbent officeholder: Yes
- Campaign slogan: Respecting the past, planning for the future. Keeping Oak Ridge a great place for all
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook
Elections
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Oak Ridge Town Council (2 seats)
Lindsey Clark, Adrian Eckenrod, Jim Kinneman, Ty Lindsay, and Ann Schneider are running in the general election for Oak Ridge Town Council on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Lindsey Clark (Nonpartisan)  | |
 | Adrian Eckenrod (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Jim Kinneman (Nonpartisan) | |
| Ty Lindsay (Nonpartisan) | ||
 | Ann Schneider (Nonpartisan) | |
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| = 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. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jim Kinneman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kinneman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Jim grew up in a small town as one of eleven children, where he learned early how to build consensus, take responsibility, and value service to others. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served for six years in various assignments, including time as an aircrew member. He flew numerous missions and earned four Air Medals and the Air Force Commendation Medal Following his military service, Jim built a career in software development—first as an employee, then as a self-employed small business owner. That same hands-on, analytical mindset now guides his approach to public service.
Jim and his wife Carol have been married for nearly 38 years and have called Oak Ridge home since 2000.- rom the beginning, Jim jumped into serving Oak Ridge—first on the Planning & Zoning Board, where he saw that in a town like ours, one person really can make a difference. That led him to run for Town Council and later serve as Mayor, where he championed practical, forward-thinking solutions to improve residents' daily lives.
His priorities have included: Investing in smart infrastructure and long-term community needs Protecting Oak Ridge’s character through thoughtful, balanced growth Improving transparency, access, and civic engagement
Building a connected, family-friendly, and walkable town - Practical Infrastructure that Serves the Community From expanding our sidewalk network to advancing the municipal water system, I support infrastructure projects that directly improve citizens’ quality of life. My focus is on smart, phased improvements that meet today’s needs and prepare us for the future, without burdening taxpayers. Responsible Governance and Fiscal Stewardship Every dollar we spend should be tied to a clear benefit for the people of Oak Ridge. I take the time to ask questions, understand the long-term impact, and ensure we’re investing in solutions that actually work. I will continue to challenge assumptions, avoid waste, and push for sound financial planning.
- Transparency, Access, and Civic Engagement Government should be accessible and easy to understand. I’ve pushed for live-streaming of meetings, expanded public Wi-Fi, and continue to advocate for open communication and inclusive decision-making. Residents deserve to know what’s happening—and to have a voice in shaping it. Supporting Families, Youth, and Community Life Whether through better parks, expanded youth sports support, or volunteer leadership, I believe in building a community that supports families and brings people together. I led the creation of a more generous and transparent youth sports funding model and continue to support inclusive recreation and community programming.
Our residents have requested a walkable town with a diverse range of outdoor activities.
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.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
