Jamie Gauthier Beats Incumbent to become City Councilmember

Gauthier’s win gives another plus for sustainability

Jamie Gauthier pulled a huge upset in the City Council races, defeating longtime incumbent Jannie Blackwell in the 3rd District. Since there is no Republican opponent, Gauthier is the presumptive winner for November’s election.

As former Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and formerly of Sustainable Business Network, Jamie Gauthier has a history of sustainable organizations.

Although Blackwell did introduce legislation for a protected bike lane on Chestnut St in West Philly (then retracted support once she received criticism), Gauthier’s background hints towards a sustainability-friendly agenda. A few examples:

Gauthier has tackling climate change as one of her key agenda items, including creating a community commission to create a green new deal for Philadelphia.
Gauthier supports more bike lanes, compared to Blackwell saying there were “enough.”
Blackwell supported moving Mill Creek Farm 3 blocks in favor of housing.

*Jamie Gauthier in far left in cover photo from Green Philly’s sustainable careers panel, March 2017.

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.