Citywide Columbia Council race too close to call – will go to runoff
The race for a citywide Columbia council seat will go to a runoff election after no candidate for the office received more than 50% of the votes in the Nov. 4 election.
Sam Johnson, who runs municipal advocacy firm Civint and was once chief of staff to former Mayor Steve Benjamin received the most votes Tuesday, with 7,146 – about 47% of ballots cast. He will face incumbent Aditi Bussells, who received 6,514 votes as of 11 p.m., or about 45% of the vote.
Jared Johnson and Tony Bowen came in third and fourth, respectively, with Jared Johnson receiving about 6% of the vote, and Bowen receiving about 3%.
The at-large race has been marked by questions of politics and potential conflicts of interest.
Bussells’ critics in the race have raised questions about her political ties, as she shares a campaign management team with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, but has received support from both high-profile Democrats and Republicans. While critics of Sam Johnson have questioned if he will be able to serve city council conflict-free while running Civint, a firm that helps companies navigate municipal government.
Bussells says she takes the nonpartisan role of the office seriously, and Johnson says he’s confident he can serve without his company creating conflicts of interest for him at city hall.
This will be the second time Bussells faces a runoff. The former public health researcher and current Deloitte consultant won her seat in 2021 in a crowded seven-person field, which also went to a runoff between herself and current city councilman Tyler Bailey, who won the city’s other at-large seat in 2023. Bussells in 2021 received a record-setting 10,600 votes in the runoff that year.
Bussells campaign this year has focused on maintaining the progress she says has been made during her first council term – touting successes like the city’s Rapid Shelter temporary housing program for the city’s chronically homeless, and a years-long rebranding effort to make the city’s image more cohesive. She’s also talked about improving public safety by supporting raises for Columbia’s first responders.
Sam Johnson, a lifelong Columbia resident, has led a campaign focused on public safety and boosting collaboration across Columbia. He has specifically talked about reducing the number of vacancies in the Columbia Police Department, and the need for the city to better collaborate with other area municipalities as well as the various institutions across the Midlands that hold sway in Columbia’s future direction.
Johnson ran for mayor in 2021, coming in third against current Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, and former city council member Tameika Isaac Devine.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 11:44 PM.
