29-03-2025
Rock Island mayoral candidates share their views before Tuesday election
Voters will be headed to the polls Tuesday, when – among other city races – the position for Rock Island mayor is up for grabs.
Both current Mayor Mike Thoms and military veteran Ashley Harris are vocal about their priorities if elected.
Gavin Waidelich of Our Quad Cities News spoke with them for Your Local Election Headquarters.
Incumbent Mayor Thoms is reaching the end of his second term and looks to serve a third. He says his experience managing the city gives him an advantage, and he can 'hit the ground running and be productive, day one.'
His opponent, Ashley Harris, doesn't have that experience, but says his time serving the community counts just as much: 'I've been a community-minded person. I've volunteered a numerous amount of times, and I feel those interpersonal people qualities make me qualified to be mayor,' Harris said.
Both candidates hope to make Rock Island a beacon to those looking for a new home.
Thoms says, in addition to the developments being made at the Milan Bottoms and downtown, housing is is needed to attract more people to the city. 'There's several large projects I want to follow through with, along with homes,' he told Our Quad Cities News. 'You know we need some more affordable homes and need to concentrate on that.' Additionally, money has been set aside to renovate existing homes, Thoms said.
But Harris says social services are the key to bringing people in. 'Social infrastructure' is important, eh told Our Quad Cities News. He says the city should be 'looking at every sector that makes a city attractive, because we want Rock Island to be a city of choice.'
Both say they want to address the quality of roads in the city.
The Consolidated Municipal Election will be held Tuesday, April 1. For more information, visit here.
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