Jennifer Andress was elected Homewood’s first mayor under its new council-city manager system. The two-term member of the Homewood City Council collected nearly three-quarters of the votes, 3,507 or 71.107%.
Challenger Robin Litaker received 1,425 votes, or 28.892%.
The mayor-elect said Tuesday’s result was a victory for positivity and win over fear mongering.
Photo by Tosha Gaines
Mayor-elect Jennifer Andress takes a phone call after learning of her victory in the 2025 Homewood municipal election on Aug. 26, 2025.
“I hear from friends that things kind of reached a fever pitch and I think we rejected that tonight,” Andress said, acknowledging she has stayed offline except for tennis highlights and golden retriever videos. “I think that fear was rejected tonight. I think everyone knows this is an amazing place.
“A lot of people work really hard to make it that way and I want to shine a light on that,” she continued. “We are financially strong and healthy. We are in a wonderful financial situation and I wanted people to hear that message. I think that message connected.”
Andress said her election as mayor means she’ll keep on moving and working for Homewood, showing up and being there and being available and being open for the citizens.
“For Homewood, it means we're going to transition to this new form of government with our city manager doing full time management day to day, which he's already doing,” she said of City Manager Glen Adams. “Really, it's just going to be a more efficient form of government. You're going to see how much better we are responsive. Now the council really can focus just on policy instead of maintenance issues. Now the council really can focus just on policy instead of maintenance issues.”
Andress’ fellow council member Nick Sims distanced himself from developer JJ Thomas to retain his Ward 2 seat. Sims received 859 votes while Thomas got 673.
In Ward 1, Paul Simmons beat Tiffany McIntyre 655 to 367. The Ward 4 victor was Winslow Armstead with 660 votes; Kristin Williams followed with 456 votes.
Ward 3, the one race with more than two challengers, will be settled in a runoff on Sept. 23. John Manzelli (633 votes) will face Chris Lane (454). Keith Young and Greg Cobb rounded out the Ward 3 voting with 125 and 78 votes, respectively.
Election results will be canvassed Tuesday, Sept. 2, at noon at Homewood City Hall.
