And Then There Were Three: District 3 Council Race Takes Shape

For the first time in several election cycles, the race for Columbus City Council District 3 is shaping up as a three-way contest, pitting a long-serving incumbent against two challengers offering contrasting visions for the district’s future.

Longtime Councilor Bruce Huff, who has represented District 3 since 2010, has confirmed his intention to seek reelection. If elected again, Huff would extend a tenure that now spans more than 15 years, making him one of the council’s most experienced members.

Huff will face two challengers, including filmmaker Zachary Maurice Lee, 44, who recently declared his candidacy. Lee’s entry into the race frames the contest as a generational matchup between an established incumbent and a political newcomer.

Before returning to Columbus in 2018, Lee worked professionally as a dancer and filmmaker, earning credits in major film productions, including The Notebook and The Color Purple. Since returning to the area, he has operated a local film business.

Also entering the race is Sherrie Aaron, who officially announced her candidacy late December, emphasizing community-focused leadership and responsiveness.

“District 3 deserves leadership that listens, shows up, and delivers results,” Aaron said in a statement announcing her campaign. She cited the district’s “hardworking families, small businesses, seniors, and young people” as priorities, calling for safer neighborhoods, expanded economic opportunity, and a city government that is accountable to residents.

Aaron said her decision to run is rooted in years of community involvement, including supporting local businesses, mentoring youth, and advocating for families. “Progress doesn’t come from promises alone,” she said. “It comes from listening, accountability, and action.”

She added that her campaign is “not about politics as usual,” but about “people, progress, and partnership,” and asked voters for their support and trust as the race moves forward.

Aaron previously ran unsuccessfully for the Muscogee County School Board in 2020.

The District 3 race is expected to draw heightened attention as voters weigh experience against calls for new leadership, with the outcome likely to shape the direction of city policy in the coming term.