An Evansville real estate agent shook hands with supporters before making his way into the county election office. Tim O’Brien, a broker at F.C. Tucker Emge, filed to run for one of the city council’s open seats.
O’Brien, a Republican, is running in the first ward. The seat is currently held by Dan McGinn, who announced last month he won’t seek re-election.
Part of O’Brien’s goals as a councilman would include infrastructure improvements and economic development.
"My key priorities are attracting and retaining businesses and as a result of that, attracting and retaining more talent," he said.
O’Brien said his youth is an asset, and that now’s the time for young professionals to enter local government.
Ward 1, which stretches across the city’s far-east side, leans Republican. No Democrat challenged McGinn in his last election.
As of O’Brien’s filing, no other candidate has entered the first ward race. It’s a common courtesy for candidates to reach out to the election office to schedule a filing in advance, and the office says no one has done that either.