Aidan Sova launches Fourth Ward campaign, vows grassroots bid and focus on housing and infrastructure

Aidan Sova announced his candidacy for the Fourth Ward seat on the Ann Arbor City Council, pledging a strictly grassroots campaign and listing affordable housing, infrastructure repairs and improved city services as his top priorities.

Sova, a first-generation University of Michigan graduate and the current president of the Ann Arbor District Library Board of Trustees, said his upbringing on the south side of Jackson, Michigan, and experience on the library board shaped his approach to public service. "That lived experience taught me the true value of resilience, hard work, and community support," he said.

He framed the campaign around independence from special-interest money. "I have not taken and will not take a single dollar from PACs," Sova said, arguing that his accountability is to residents rather than political action committees. He added that his campaign has the support of "over 90 elected officials, community leaders, and organizations," and said that prior municipal experience means he would "hit the ground running for the fourth ward on day one."

On policy, Sova emphasized affordable housing as a central plank, saying the city "must expand smart, equitable housing options so that working families, seniors, and the next generation can actually afford to live and stay in Ann Arbor." He also prioritized repairing streets, closing sidewalk gaps to improve accessibility, and ensuring reliable basic services such as snow removal and responsive municipal operations.

Sova closed by asking for voters' support in the Democratic primary on Aug. 4. "I would be deeply honored to earn your confidence, your partnership, and your vote in the upcoming Democratic primary on August 4th," he said, urging residents to elect him to deliver "real, lasting results for the city we love."