In a resounding win, Lori Arons beat fellow Republican Johnathan Sparks in the Aug. 4 primary for the Jefferson County Council District 3 seat.
No Democrats filed for the seat, so Arons will run unopposed in the Nov. 3 general election.
According to complete, but unofficial results reported by the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office, Arons won the race with 1,745 votes (57.38 percent of the total vote) to Sparks’ 1,296 votes (42.62 percent).
Arons, 65, of Imperial is a retired Fox C-6 School District teacher. She was appointed to the council as the representative for District 3 in January 2024 when Shannon Otto resigned 11 months into her first term.
Arons said she was truly honored to be elected as District 3 representative.
“I worked my tail off, did everything I could to work for my community for the last 2 1/2 years,” Arons said. “I’m very proud to have come out ahead, but I could not have done it without my incredible campaign team, and the prayers and support of everyone.”
Arons said the campaign didn’t go exactly as planned for her; in the spring, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, which she said impacted her ability to campaign. Arons is now in remission following treatment.
“My first thought (after diagnosis) was, ‘I don’t have time for this. I have a campaign to run,’” she said. “My plan was not God’s plan, and so I took the scenic route to get to where I am tonight.”
District 3 covers a northeast portion of Jefferson County, including Arnold and a portion of Imperial.
Council members serve four-year terms and receive an annual stipend of approximately $13,929. A council member serves as the representative for residents for one of seven districts in the county. The council serves as the legislative body for the county government, meeting twice monthly to introduce, read, debate and vote on bills and resolutions.
Arons said she is promising her constituents she will stay committed to the community and keep working for the community in the next four years as District 3 representative.
“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for supporting me,” Arons said. “Those who prayed for me and encouraged me through this campaign. I’m really humbled, and I look forward to what the new year will bring.”