Joshua Hicks (Florida)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Joshua Hicks

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 21, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

Florida State University, 2007

Personal

Birthplace

Florida

Religion

Roman Catholic

Profession

Nonprofit professional

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Personal LinkedIn

Joshua Hicks (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Jacksonville City Council to represent At-large Position 2 in Florida. He lost in the general election on March 21, 2023.

Hicks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Hicks was born on August 25, 1983, in Gainesville, Florida. He graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in 2007. His professional experience includes working at Colorectal Cancer Alliance as the Platform Administrator.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Jacksonville, Florida (2023)

General election

General election for Jacksonville City Council At-large Position 2

Incumbent Ron Salem defeated Joshua Hicks in the general election for Jacksonville City Council At-large Position 2 on March 21, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Ron Salem (R)	53.2	88,080
		Joshua Hicks (D)	46.8	77,426

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 165,506
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

To view Hicks's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hicks in this election.

2020

See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Florida House of Representatives District 11

Incumbent Cord Byrd defeated Joshua Hicks in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 11 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cord Byrd (R)	68.2	76,422
		Joshua Hicks (D)	31.8	35,686

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 112,108
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Joshua Hicks advanced from the Democratic primary for Florida House of Representatives District 11.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Cord Byrd advanced from the Republican primary for Florida House of Representatives District 11.

Endorsements

To view Hicks' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joshua Hicks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hicks' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a native North Floridian who made Jacksonville my forever home after falling in love with the people and community. It’s where I married my husband Phillip and it’s where we are working with a local adoption agency to start a family. My brothers and I were raised in Tallahassee by a single mother who often worked multiple jobs to provide for us. Because of her example, to this day, I understand the meaning of a hard day’s work, and I’ll bring that same work ethic to serve our community on the Jacksonville City Council. I went to public schools in Tallahassee before attending Tallahassee Community College and double majoring in political and interdisciplinary social science at Florida State University. After completing my education, I focused on dedicating my career to giving back to the community and making a difference in the non-profit sector. My career reflects my values and focus on community. I’ve advised young elected officials, advocated for quality and affordable healthcare, fought to protect our environment, and supported families facing cancer. I will bring those experiences to the City Council to address the needs of the entire Jacksonville community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• During my lifelong career working in the non-profit sector, I’ve advised young elected officials, advocated for healthcare solutions and working families, fought for solutions to climate change, and supported families facing cancer. It has always been about helping people and strengthening our community. For too long, the Jacksonville City Council has been making decisions that benefit powerful people while the voiceless are left behind. We need community-first, people-first leadership on the City Council that looks out for everyone who lives in Jacksonville. That is the representation that I will bring to the table by always showing up, listening, and acting in the people’s interest.
• I hope to be remembered for being accessible and responsive to the needs of everyone who lives in Jacksonville. That’s what public service is supposed to be about. We have a lot of big challenges that will need to be solved in the coming years – from the affordable housing crisis to replacing crumbling infrastructure – and I am committed to bringing the community together, building the political will, and advocating for real solutions to these challenges.
• Our city government is run by an entrenched system that governs for the few instead of the many. It’s what leads to corruption and it’s what makes our citizens cynical about politics. There are some incredible public servants on the Jacksonville City Council but there are also many self-serving politicians who only look out for themselves and their political careers. I'll be a leader who goes to work every day to put community and people first in every decision I make.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

I support a community policing model that embeds law enforcement officers within our communities in ways that reduce violent crime while rebuilding trust between police and the community. Community violence intervention programs are also critical to head off violence before it happens. We need to undergo a review of the existing programs in Jacksonville to determine which strategies are working and which are not, while exploring new programs that have worked in other cities around the country. When we identify programs that work for Jacksonville, we need to invest more into them.

There are also foundational items where Jacksonville must do better to make a good quality of life possible for all our residents. Some neighborhoods have been neglected for so long that they lack basic infrastructure like streetlights and sidewalks. That’s unacceptable and it must be remedied with prioritization of infrastructure projects. There is also much more we can do on the economic front to ensure opportunities, jobs, and entrepreneurship are possible: workforce training, apprenticeship and incubator programs, and making small business resources available. Last, we need to be a good partner to our public education system, growing after school programs that keep kids in safe spaces that they can thrive in.

Community Question Featured local question

What do you think about the city's environmental health? Would you make any changes to current policy?

I believe climate change is real and represents a real threat to our community. First and foremost, we must support and encourage our Chief Resilience Officer and allow her to do her job - by providing the resources she needs in her department. I’ll sign on to a renewable energy pledge because we must get serious about doing our part to reduce the impacts of climate change. That said, rising sea levels and more extreme weather is coming. Neighborhoods across the city flood regularly, even from everyday rainstorms, because the city is decades behind in upgrading our stormwater runoff and drainage systems and bulkhead replacement along the river. We need to fast track these projects. We also need to offer more support in the neglected neighborhoods impacted by flooding, for example residents on Ken Knight Drive. While the city has done a good job of preparing for heat emergencies, there is much more we must do to address the fact that some parts of the city can be as much as 10-15 degrees warmer than other areas on hot summer days. Planting more tree cover, turning unused parking lots into parks, and encouraging more sustainable building practices (for both resiliency and energy efficiency) are all solutions we can bring to the table. Inaction is simply not an option anymore in a southern city that is surrounded by water. I’ll roll my sleeves up and get results for our community. And I will always be committed to protecting the quality of our air, water, and native ecosystems.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Promises were made in consolidation, and those promises haven’t been kept to all our neighborhoods. We need to ensure we are fixing and upgrading the infrastructure in older neighborhoods, including fixing streets, adding sidewalks and street lights, replacing septic tank systems, eliminating food deserts, addressing neighborhood parks in disrepair, and listening to the needs of the communities.

We need to take a citywide approach to affordable housing including removing construction barriers, requiring a percentage of affordable units in new developments, and rethinking zoning so we can bring in more multifamily units. We must find ways to address the influx of out-of-state corporate investors that are rapidly buying up local properties and driving up prices. And there is a complete lack of funding for affordable housing programs that must be addressed.

I believe we also need to do much more to support our small businesses, the engine of our local economy. We need to be promoting the available resources to businesses in every neighborhood, not just certain parts of the city. Those resources can include façade grants, incubator programs, merchant associations, and more. I would also look to streamline the permitting process after hearing so many stories from small business owners who have had to wait months or even years. Last, we should look to connect small businesses with industries of the future, for example space manufacturing.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

State Senator Tracie Davis

State Representative Angie Nixon
Duval Soil and Water Group 5 Supervisor RJ Deacon
Former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried
Former Duval School Board Member Elizabeth Andersen
Former Atlantic Beach Mayor Pro Tem Brittany Norris
Former Neptune Beach Vice Mayor John Weldon
North Florida Central Labor Council
North Florida Sheet Metal Workers Local #435
North Florida Building and Construction Trades Council
Equality Florida Action PAC
Victory Fund
Run for Something
Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus
Florida Progressives PAC
Jacksonville NOW PAC

Jacksonville Young Democrats

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.

2020

Joshua Hicks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hicks' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a native North Floridian, raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs to provide for me and my brothers. Because of her example, I've always understood the meaning of a hard day's work. I went to public schools in Tallahassee, and graduated from Florida State University in 2007.

Through my life experiences, I know the power of a good public education and why we need to do more to support working Floridians and their families. After my education, I dedicated my career to giving back and making a difference in the non-profit sector. I've worked for the People for the American Way Foundation, the Service Employees International Union, the League of Conservation Voters, and currently with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. I've also served on the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence's Young Professionals Board and am a member of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus.

My career reflects my values. I believe we need to empower young people, expand healthcare access, protect our environment and tackle climate change, ensure equality for all, and keep our communities safe from gun violence.

I'm married to my husband, Phillip, and we are currently going through the adoption process to adopt our first child. We have four dachshunds though - Dexter, Dirk, Lady and Max.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Here is my commitment: I will listen to everyone in District 11, no matter what their political affiliation is. I will be accessible, present, and transparent.
• My concern is on our families and our community. It's time to refocus our attention on the local, kitchen table issues impacting each of us, on daily bases. Let's place our community first.
• I'm running to pass policies like expanding healthcare, investing in public schools, supporting small businesses, and raising wages which will keep our community healthy, safe, and affordable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Our community needs jobs with better pay and benefits. That starts with a living wage and paid sick leave for those currently without it. Small businesses are the backbone of our community and they've been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. I'll ensure they get the support they need to recover.

We need to achieve full equality for all people and until we do, our work is not done. That's why I'll be a leader who lifts up every person no matter what they look like, who they are, or who they love. I'll promote LGBTQ+ equality, fight for an end to systemic racism, and work to end workplace discrimination no matter your sex, race, or sexual orientation. We must work together to end discrimination in all forms and I'll be a champion for equality in the Legislature.

I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And the current COVID-19 crisis has made clear that we're all relying on each other to stay healthy. Here in Florida, with nearly 3 million Floridians uninsured, we must expand Medicaid, accept the $1.6 billion from the federal government, which would cover more than 800,000 low income Floridians and get us closer to every Floridian being covered.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My career reflects my values. I believe we need to empower young people, expand healthcare access, protect our environment and tackle climate change, ensure equality for all, and keep our communities safe from gun violence. Here is my commitment to you: I will always listen to everyone in District 11, no matter what their political affiliation is. I will be accessible, present, and transparent.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at Publix as a high school student. I believe I was 15 or 16 years old. It was a great job - had it through high school.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Fight Song by Rachel Platten

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it is beneficial for our office holders to have community experience, to want to truly do good in their communities, and have a willingness to listen and learn, before acting. My background, as a nonprofit professional, has given me important community experience, along with giving a voice to the voiceless. We should want more of our public servants to be concerned citizens, not career politicians.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Sea level rise and acting on climate. Florida's economy is dependent on tourism... 75% of our population lives near the coast. Rising sea levels threatens our coastal communities through property damage and coastal erosion. We must act now, not tomorrow, to protect our coastal communities, fix the outdated coastal infrastructure issues, and work to address climate change not only locally but on the state level.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. We must be willing and able to reach across the aisle. Today's politics are too partisan. It's time we work together to place the people, our communities, first. I believe by working together and building relationships with other legislators, especially from different parties, you can encourage and build respect. That's an important aspect to being a leader.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Jacksonville City Council At-large Position 2

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