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Mary Hilton on Tuesday announced her intention to seek one of the three at-large seats on the council in the spring 2021 election.  

"Fighting for policies that promote economic freedom, individual liberty and responsibility, and the peace and security of Lincoln’s neighborhoods will be my priorities on the City Council,” Hilton said in a news release.

“I love the city of Lincoln, and I believe that with common-sense spending, strong support for public safety and law enforcement, and continued investment in our roads and infrastructure, Lincoln will continue to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

Hilton is the first candidate to declare for the 2021 city election. 

Council members Roy Christensen, a Republican, and Bennie Shobe and Sändra Washington, both Democrats, hold the three at-large council seats on the officially nonpartisan body. 

Washington was appointed by the council to fill the seat vacated when Leirion Gaylor Baird became mayor in 2019.

Hilton, a registered Republican, has the support of Christensen, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley and former Gov. Kay Orr, among others.

A Atwood, Kansas, native and Kansas State University graduate, Hilton has a background in governmental auditing and accounting, the news release said.

Hilton has advocated for issues for more than two decades, including most recently as a volunteer lobbyist for Smart Approaches to Marijuana Nebraska, the organization that opposes medical marijuana legalization.

Hilton testified in opposition to fee increases and property tax funding in the recently adopted Lincoln city budget.

She and her husband, Jon, have seven children ages 9 to 22, and she is an educator, editor, event organizer and active member of Zion Church, according to her news release.