The Columbia, Missouri, Mayor, City Council, and School Board elections wrapped up on April 8 with familiar results. Two of the four winning candidates, mayor-elect Barbara Buffaloe and school board-elect Suzette Waters, have already spent a term in office.
The race for the mayor’s seat was between three candidates: Barbara Buffaloe, Blair Murphy, and Tanya Heath. Buffaloe won the seat, receiving 14,073 votes, according to KOMU 8. Buffaloe also won the 2022 mayoral election and will return for a second term. Murphy came in second with 10,663 votes, and Heath came in third with 779. Buffaloe wants to improve Public Safety and Housing Prices, according to KOMU 8. Runner-up candidate Blair Murphy had a record number of funding with 250,000 dollars, which is the largest amount that has been recorded since campaign funding was counted in 2010, according to KOMU 8.
In the Fourth Ward City Council election, there was a two-candidate race between Nick Foster and Ron Graves. Foster won the election, receiving 4,570 votes, while Graves received 2,775. City Council members serve three-year terms. In order to run for the Fourth Ward City Council seat, you have to live in the Fourth Ward. According to Foster’s profile on the City of Columbia website, Foster is going to focus on affordable housing, climate issues, and public safety in a three-year term on the city council. In the Third Ward, election candidate Jacque Sample won the seat while running unopposed. Sample will focus on accessible housing and safer neighborhoods in a three-year term.
In the School Board election, there were two open seats and three candidates. Erica Dickson, Ken Rice, and Suzette Waters. Erica Dickson and Suzette Waters won the open seats. Waters received the most votes with 17,698, and Dickson received 16,885. Waters was already on the council and was running for a second term. Waters will focus on public accessibility to the school board in her second term, according to the Columbia Missourian. Dickson will focus on a student-centered education approach and teacher retention in her second term, according to the Columbia Missourian.
