Jack Eaton - Ann Arbor

Jack Eaton. (Photo courtesy of The Ann Arbor Chronicle.)John E. "Jack" Eaton (b. August 23, 1952) is an attorney and member of the Ann Arbor City Council, representing Ward 4 as a Democrat. He first took office in November 2013 for a two-year term, after defeating incumbent Marcia Higgins in the Democratic primary. He had previously run unsuccessful campaigns against Ward 4 incumbent Margie Teall in 2010 and 2012.

After winning the Democratic Party nomination for Ward 4 City Council, which was contested by Jaime Magiera in the Aug. 4, 2015 primary, Eaton appeared unopposed on the ballot for re-election on Nov. 3, 2015.

Eaton is a lawyer who represents public sector unions and their members. Most of his clients are transit employee unions. Before moving to Ann Arbor in 1985, he was a bus driver in Kalamazoo and served as president of the transit union local.

Eaton became politically active in Ann Arbor through his neighborhood activism. He is a past president of the Friends of Dicken Woods. He remains active in that organization but holds no office. He is active in the South Maple Group and was a co-founder of the A2 Neighborhood Alliance (formerly Alliance of Neighborhoods).

Eaton was also a member of the core group that led the opposition to a publicly subsidized downtown conference center in 2010 and 2011.

Eaton graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelors degree in political science and later earned a law degree from the Wayne State University Law School. He is married to Cecile "Bitsy" Lamb and they live in the Dicken Woods neighborhood. The couple has two children, Dan and Rachel.

Timeline: Jack Eaton

Nov. 3, 2015: In the Ward 4 City Council general election race Eaton prevails in a race in which he is the only candidate appearing on the ballot. No official write-in candidates had registered.
Aug. 4, 2015: In the Ward 4 City Council Democratic primary race against Jaime Magiera, Eaton prevails with 1082 votes (60.4%), compared to 709 votes (39.5%) for Magiera.
July 26, 2015: The Ann Arbor News publishes its endorsement of Eaton for the Ward 4 Council race
July 11, 2015: the Sierra Club Huron Valley Chapter and Michigan Chapter informs Eaton that the groups have endorsed Eaton’s campaign for reelection to the Ann Arbor City Council, representing the Fourth Ward.
July 8, 2015: The Huron Valley Central Labor Council informs Eaton that they had voted to endorse the Eaton campaign.
June 29, 2015: Participates in candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area. with Jaime Magiera
June 13, 2015: Participates in the Ann Arbor Democratic Party candidate forum, along with Jaime Magiera, who is running for that seat. Youtube video of the forum.
Apr. 15, 2015: Participates in the Ann Arbor City Council candidate debate at the Ford School.
Mar. 5, 2015: Formalizes intent to seek re-election to his Ward 4 Ann Arbor City Council seat by taking out petitions to seek the nomination of the Democratic Party in the Aug. 4, 2015 primary.
Nov. 5, 2013: Runs unopposed in the general election and wins with 1,678 votes (88.92%). Though there were no opponents on the ballot, Twenty Pound Carp and William Lockwood both ran write-in campaigns.
Aug. 6, 2013: Wins Democratic primary for Ward 4 city council against incumbent Marcia Higgins. Eaton gets 1,233 votes (64.52%) compared to 674 votes (35.27%) for Higgins.
Sept. 4, 2012: A recount reveals Eaton had 846 votes and Teall had 866 votes.
Aug. 7, 2012: Loses again in the Democratic primary election against Margie Teall, who this time wins with a margin of 18 votes. Eaton gets 848 votes (49.42%) compared to 866 votes (50.47%) for Teall.
Aug. 3, 2010: Loses Democratic Party primary for Ward 4 Ann Arbor City Council to incumbent Margie Teall. Eaton gets 642 votes (30.63%) compared to 1,148 votes (69.08%) for Teall.
2008: Is co-founder of A2 Neighborhood Alliance (formerly the Alliance of Neighborhoods), a network of residents from various Ann Arbor neighborhoods. Its websites states: "Our fundamental goal is to have the City treat neighborhoods as stakeholders in decision making."
June 2008 - March 2010 Serves as president of the Friends of Dicken Woods.
October 2007: Collaborates with others to form the South Maple Group. Its website states: "The South Maple Group is a coalition of groups and citizens who came together to oppose a proposed development to be situated at 1430 South Maple Road in Ann Arbor Michigan. That project failed during the real estate collapse of 2008. We maintain an interest in the future of that property because it is the starting point for three watersheds and our neighborhoods are all down hill from the property."
Fall 2002: Joins the Friends of Dicken Woods and becomes member of the Friends' Steering Committee. Its website states: "The Friends of Dicken Woods include over 258 neighbors and residents of the Dicken Elementary School neighborhood, in addition to other concerned citizens of Ann Arbor who appreciate the value of Dicken Woods as an ecological, educational and recreational community asset."
July 1996: Joins the law office of Mark H. Cousens in Southfield.
1991: Earns law degree from Wayne State University Law School.
1987: Graduates from the University of Michigan with a bachelors degree in political science.
1985: Moves to Ann Arbor.
1974-1984: Works as a bus driver for Kalamazoo Metro Transit. During that period, he serves a stint as president of the transit union local.