Kris Ward Hints at a Commission Run in District 5

Ward says he does not just want to make headlines, he wants to make a difference. For him, the issue is not a lack of studies or white papers but the lack of results for everyday Athenians. “Athens has had enough lip service and white papers that don’t deliver for the people who live here. I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines. I will be about the business of the people,” Ward said.

Ward, who grew up in Oconee County and has spent most of his adult life in Athens, says he is motivated by the challenges many residents face each day: rising housing costs, stagnant wages, and concerns over safety in neighborhoods and our current priorities that divert too many young people into courthouses and jailhouses - not keeping them in schoolhouses..

He says his campaign will focus on three priorities:

• Dignity in work by attracting jobs with wages and benefits that allow families to thrive.
• Security at home by tackling youth access to guns and supporting effective, respectful policing.
• Stability for Athens by addressing housing costs and supporting community health.

“I’ll take my tenacity, my fight, and my experience in business and government and use it to help build an Athens that works for everyone,” Ward said.

Ward acknowledges that he will have to earn the trust of his fellow Athenians. He says he is willing to put in the work, listen closely, and prove through action that he is serious about representing District 5 with integrity and determination.

Ward’s website, wardforathens.com, lays out what he calls a “game plan” for Athens. With Commissioner Dexter Fisher running for mayor, the race to represent District 5 could become one of the most closely watched contests of the 2026 cycle.