The following vote amounts and percentages are from unofficial results as of 9:08 p.m. Tuesday.
Democrat Micah McCarey has been elected as Athens City Council president following an unopposed campaign, with 1,528 votes cast.
McCarey replaces current President Sam Crowl, who was elected in 2023 after serving as Third Ward Representative beginning in 2018. He did not seek reelection and, according to a previous report by The Post, encouraged McCarey to run, saying he’s the “perfect fit.”
First appointed to a six-month city councilmember term in 2021, McCarey continued to serve two terms as an At-Large Representative.
As previously reported by The Post, McCarey said as Council president, he will prioritize fiscal sustainability, housing and infrastructure, community cohesion and anti-hate initiatives. Environmental, accessibility and public health issues are also on the agenda for McCarey.
McCarey, who ran with the slogan “Hope is Here,” highlights racial equity, small business support and a proposed income tax increase on his campaign website.
In last year’s November election, McCarey ran for state representative of the 95th district, which consists of Athens, Noble, Morgan, Guernsey, Belmont and Harrison Counties, and fell short by 35.3% to Republican Don Jones.
McCarey spent six years as Pride Center director at Ohio University prior to the Advance Ohio Education Act, which shut down the center in June. He also served as assistant director for East Green and Diversity Initiatives for the Department of Housing and Residence Life for two years.
As an OU alumnus, McCarey completed his Bachelor of Science in organizational communication, Master of Arts in human development and Doctorate of Philosophy in Athens, Ohio.
According to the report, McCarey said his goal is to “make it easier for residents to see how their engagement–whether through meetings, boards, surveys, or community conversations–shape city decisions.”
