Justin Jones seeks full District 3 term Nov. 3

Justin Jones is running for a full term on the Pasadena City Council representing District 3 in the Nov. 3 general election.

The race is nonpartisan.

Jones, a licensed civil engineer born and raised in Pasadena, was appointed to the District 3 seat in September 2022 after the death of Councilman John J. Kennedy, according to the Pasadena Star News. He was reappointed to serve a shortened two-year term and then won a special election in 2024 to finish Kennedy's term. The Nov. 3 election is the first time the District 3 seat has appeared on the ballot for a full term since Kennedy's death.

Candidate information

Residence: Pasadena. Jones said his family has lived in the city for over 130 years.
Education: High school diploma, Pasadena High School (2009). Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, California State University Fresno (2013).
Professional career: Associate civil engineer at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (2015–present). Former project engineer at Walsh Construction and Archer Western (2014–2015). Former engineering assistant at the Pasadena Department of Public Works (2011–2014). Former mathematics instructor at STEAM:CODERS (2019–2022). Former intern (Rose Program) at Pasadena Water and Power.
Civic involvement: Graduate of the Pasadena Neighborhood Leadership Institute. Former chair of the Pasadena Environmental Advisory Commission. Former chair of the Pasadena Human Relations Commission. Member of the Stakeholder Technical Advisory Group for Pasadena Water and Power's Power Integrated Resource Plan.
Current council role: Chair of the Municipal Service Committee.

Experience and public service

Jones has spent more than a decade in public-sector engineering, working for both the city and county, according to his city council biography. He also chaired two city commissions before his 2022 appointment to the council.

On the issues

Quality of life and local infrastructure

Jones said District 3 residents have raised roadway improvements, streetlights and traffic safety enhancements as important concerns. "It's the quality-of-life issues that the residents in District 3 continuously bring up to me," Jones said, according to the Pasadena Star News.

Affordable housing, homelessness and public safety

Jones said the broader goals of the City Council align with District 3 needs. He identified affordable housing, expanding outreach and support to the city's unhoused population, and focusing on public safety and emergency preparedness as priorities, according to the Pasadena Star News.