Columbus City Council candidate Tiara Ross provided documentation that may help her prove she lived in Columbus long enough to qualify as a candidate in May's primary.
Ross' campaign emailed WOSU a copy of an apartment lease on Friday afternoon that Ross signed last year. The apartment lease started on May 3, 2024, which could make her qualified to run by a mere three days.
The Rooster, which is operated by D.J. Byrnes, filed an official challenge to Ross' candidacy with the Franklin County Board of Elections on Wednesday. Byrnes claimed Ross lived in Reynoldsburg as recently as August, which could disqualify her from running for the District 7 seat if proven correct.
The primary is May 6.
Under Columbus' city charter, a candidate for Columbus City Council is required to have lived within the city at least one year prior to the primary for the seat they are running for. Ross, a Columbus City Attorney with the Property Action Team, is one of three candidates seeking the District 7 seat.
The Franklin County Board of Elections will likely hear the challenge at its March 3 meeting.
The two other candidates running against Ross are former Near East Side Commissioner Kate Curry-Da-Souza and immigration attorney Jesse Vogel.
The May 6 primary will determine which of the two candidates will advance to the November general election.
