Jackson County, Michigan

City of Jackson Mayor

2 candidates are tracked for City of Jackson Mayor on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Derek J. Dobies and John Wilson. Candidate information follows official Jackson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nonpartisan; two candidates for one seat on the November 3 ballot, per the Jackson County Clerk's official candidate list.

What this office does

Mayor. The mayor is the city's chief elected official. In a strong-mayor city the mayor runs the city government, prepares the budget and appoints department heads; in a council-manager city the mayor presides over the council and a hired manager runs operations. Which model applies depends on the city charter.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels.

Michigan › Jackson County › City of Jackson Mayor

Derek J. Dobies

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Downtown investment, including Michigan Ave, Horace Blackman Park, and the Hayes Hotel redevelopment
Find a long-term fix for streets and crucial infrastructure
Stay fiscally responsible while adequately staffing police and fire services

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Derek Dobies is a former Jackson mayor (2017 to 2021) and current Jackson Public Schools Board of Education member running again for mayor, per WKAR Public Media and his campaign site. Derek J. Dobies appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of Jackson Mayor, per the county clerk's certified candidate list.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

John Wilson

Nonpartisan

Biography

John Wilson appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of Jackson Mayor, per the county clerk's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for John Wilson.

Next on your ballotCity of Jackson Treasurer, Partial Term Ending 11/30/2028

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for City of Jackson Mayor in 2026?

When is the City of Jackson Mayor election in Michigan?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Michigan are on the Michigan election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Jackson County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Jackson County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Michigan election office, or see the full Jackson County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Jackson County ballot

16 tracked races in Jackson County, Michigan. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Norvell Township Clerk, Partial Term Ending 11/20/2028 Rives Township Clerk, Partial Term Ending 11/20/2028 Sandstone Township Trustee, Partial Term Ending 11/20/2028 See all 16 Jackson County races

Candidate profiles

Derek J. Dobies, full profile John Wilson, full profile Official Michigan election office