Which Columbus Council races are headed for a runoff? Here are unofficial election results
Columbus Council incumbents prevailed and one district is headed to a runoff election after voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s election.
There was no incumbent in District 7, and the tight race will head to a runoff after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote. In other Columbus Council races, incumbents primarily prevailed in their elections.
District 1 incumbent Jerry “Pop” Barnes ran unopposed and will serve another term on the Columbus Council. Barnes has served on the council since 2006.
All vote totals are unofficial until certified. Here’s what happened in the contested Columbus Council races in Tuesday’s election:
District 3
Incumbent Bruce Huff held off challenger DeMarco “D1” Johnson to serve another term representing District 3 on the Columbus Council. Huff received about 70% of the vote, and Johnson received around 30%.
Huff was first elected to the council in 2010.
“I’m excited that the voters are given me another opportunity to complete the work that I’ve started over the past 12 years,” Huff told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Moving forward, Huff hopes to get to know the people in his district better and hearing what they feel he can do better in his next term on the council.
District 5
Charmaine Crabb, the incumbent, won the District 5 council race receiving about 65% of the vote. Challengers John Adams III and Carmella Morales have received 23% and 11% respectively.
Crabb is a local realtor and has served on the council since 2018.
District 7
The District 7 race is headed for a runoff with Joanne Cogle, a former educator and business owner, narrowly leading the race with 28% of the vote.
Following close behind Cogle is business owner Laketha Ashe who received around 27% of the vote.
Sia Etemadi and Juanita Taylor received around 22% and 23% respectively.
Because no candidate received more than half of the votes, Cogle and Ashe will be on the ballot for the June 21 runoff election.
District 7 is the only district on the ballot that did not have an incumbent running. Evelyn “Mimi” Woodson chose not to run for reelection and will complete 28 years on the Columbus Council at the end of this year when her term ends.
District 9 (at large)
District 9 at-large incumbent Judy Thomas will most likely retain her seat: Thomas had around 52% of the vote with every precinct reporting.
Economic development and supporting public safety were among the most important issues in her campaign, Thomas told the Ledger-Enquirer. Bringing jobs to the city will help address poverty, she said, which leads to increased crime rates and less affordable housing.
“I appreciate the confidence that the voters in Muscogee County have placed in me as their at large counselor,” Thomas said. “And I will continue to do whatever I can to make Columbus and Muscogee County the best place there is to be.”
Thomas has served on the council since 2010.
This story was originally published May 25, 2022 at 12:07 AM.
