City, township & village

Council Member, City of Flint

Ward 5

Vote for: 1
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A council member votes on local ordinances, the budget and contracts, and sets policy for the community.

Candidates Compare by issue

Joel Arnold

No party listed

Policy director, Abundant Housing Michigan

The gist

Pledges to bring 911 response time to national average
Pledges focus on blight and illegal dumping
Proposes renegotiating water contracts to lower costs
Pledges focus on streetlights, potholes and road repaving
Supports the data center moratorium while rules are drafted
Supports the council's permanent Pride Month resolution

More about Joel

View sources (1)

Pledges to bring 911 response time to national average
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“we cannot be satisfied until our 911 response time is the exact same as the national average”
Pledges focus on blight and illegal dumping
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“keep a laser focus on solving blight issues, catching those who dump illegally in our city, and supporting institutions like the Blight Court”
Proposes renegotiating water contracts to lower costs
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“We must renegotiate our water contracts and lower costs for our residents wherever possible.”
Pledges focus on streetlights, potholes and road repaving
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“fixing streetlights, fixing potholes and repaving roads”
Supports the data center moratorium while rules are drafted
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“I support the city carrying this resolution through its year as it gives us time to craft appropriate rules.”
Supports the council's permanent Pride Month resolution
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“Yes, I strongly support that resolution.”

DeWaun E. Robinson

No party listed

Peer recovery coach supervisor; Flint Housing Commissioner

The gist

Proposes charter amendments to enforce council member accountability
Proposes ordinances for water bill fairness and transparency
Pledges to meet the charter's budget requirements
Supports the data center moratorium pending utility capacity review
Supports the council's permanent Pride Month resolution

More about DeWaun

View sources (1)

Proposes charter amendments to enforce council member accountability
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“My top priority is to propose ordinances and Charter amendments that strengthen Charter duties enforcement and ensure councilmember accountability.”
Proposes ordinances for water bill fairness and transparency
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“ordinances and amendments that ensures transparency, water bill fairness, consumer protection and strengthens councils water authority”
Pledges to meet the charter's budget requirements
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“My priority is to meet Charter budget requirements by improving efficiency and revenue”
Supports the data center moratorium pending utility capacity review
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“Flint must first confirm with GLWA and Consumers Energy that our grid and water system can handle a hyperscale data center”
Supports the council's permanent Pride Month resolution
Meet the Primary Candidates: Fifth Ward Flint City Council
Candidate questionnaire · East Village Magazine / Flint. Daily. · Jul 9, 2026 · eastvillagemagazine.org
“I support both Juneteenth and the permanent Pride Month resolution”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.