C. Jack Ellis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
C. Jack Ellis
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Ellis in 2002
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| Mayor of Macon, Georgia | |
| In office December 14, 1999 – December 12, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Marshall |
| Succeeded by | Robert Reichert |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 6, 1946 Macon, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic |
C. Jack Ellis, born on January 6, 1946, is a politician. He is best known for being the former mayor of Macon, Georgia. A mayor is the elected leader of a city.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Before becoming a mayor, C. Jack Ellis had a long career in the United States Army. He served for 20 years as an airborne infantryman. This means he was a soldier trained to jump out of planes. He also worked as an airborne instructor, teaching others.
Ellis served two tours in Vietnam. During his time in the Army, he earned several important awards. These included the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is given to soldiers who are wounded in battle. He also received the Combat Infantryman Badge.
For the last eleven years of his military career, Ellis worked as a recruiter. He helped the U.S. Army become an all-volunteer force. This means people chose to join the Army instead of being required to.
After leaving the Army, Ellis worked for the United States Census Bureau. He also hosted a TV show that talked about public and political topics. He even ran a summer basketball camp for young people in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Some of the players at his camp later became professional basketball players.
Becoming Mayor of Macon
First Election in 1999
C. Jack Ellis decided to run for mayor of Macon in 1999. He won the Democratic primary election. A primary election is when people from the same political party choose who they want to represent them.
After winning the primary, he ran in the general election. He was elected as Macon's first African-American mayor. This was a very important moment for the city.
Re-election in 2003
After his first term, Ellis ran for re-election in 2003. He won against several other candidates in the Democratic primary. He also faced some opposition in the general election but was re-elected for a second term.
Later Campaigns
Ellis ran for mayor again in 2011. He was trying to win a third term. He competed against the mayor at the time, Robert Reichert. In the primary election, Ellis came in second place.
Because no candidate won more than half of the votes, a run-off election was held. A run-off election is a second election between the top two candidates. Ellis lost this election by a small number of votes. He did not say he would never run for office again in the future.
Religious Beliefs
C. Jack Ellis was born into a Baptist family in Macon, Georgia. He is a member of the Unionville Missionary Baptist Church.
