Mayoral elections in Columbia are held every four years to elect the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina .
All Columbia municipal elections are required to be non-partisan , but most candidates can be affiliated with political parties. Columbia uses a two-round system , where election runoffs are held if no candidate obtains the majority of the vote.
2010 special [ edit ] 2010 Columbia mayoral special election
The 2010 Columbia mayoral special election took place on April 6, 2010, to elect the next mayor of Charleston, South Carolina . Incumbent Democratic Mayor Bob Coble did not seek re-election. A runoff was held on April 21, 2010, since no candidate surpassed 50%. In the runoff Democrat Stephen K. Benjamin defeated Republican candidate Kirkman Finlay III . Daniel became the first African American mayor of Columbia.[1]
Mayor of Columbia, 2010 (Special first round) UNOFFICIAL RESULTS[2] Candidate Votes % Steve Benjamin 6,067 35.53% Kirkman Finlay III 5,485 32.12% Steve Morrison 5,053 29.59% Aaron Johnson 215 1.26% Joseph S. Azar 175 1.02% Sparkle Clark 49 0.29% Nammu Muhammad 28 0.16% Write-in 5 0.03% Total 17,077 100.00%
Mayor of Columbia, 2010 (Special Runoff) [3] Candidate Votes % Steve Benjamin 10,894 55.19% Kirkman Finlay III 8,845 44.81% Total 19,739 100.00%
2013 Columbia mayoral election
The 2013 Columbia mayoral election took place on November 5, 2013, to elect the mayor of Charleston, South Carolina . Incumbent Democratic Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin won re-election to a full term. There was no need for a runoff election since Benjamin received more than 50% of the vote.
Results [ edit ] Mayor of Columbia, 2013[4] Candidate Votes % Steve Benjamin (incumbent) 10,401 64.13% Moe Baddourah 5,594 34.49% Larry A Sypolt. 167 1.03% Write-in 57 0.35% Total 16,219 100.00%
Incumbent Democratic Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin was the only candidate to file; he was automatically declared re-elected with no votes.[5]
Mayor of Columbia, 2017 Candidate Votes % Steve Benjamin 0 100.00%
2021 Columbia mayoral election Candidate Daniel Rickenmann Tameika Isaac Devine First round 8,417 43.51% 5,846 30.22% Runoff 10,606 52.00% 9,789 48.00% Candidate Sam Johnson First round 4,710 24.35% Runoff Eliminated
The 2021 Columbia mayoral election took place on November 2, 2021, to elect the next mayor of Charleston, South Carolina . Incumbent Democratic Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin did not seek re-election to a third term.[6] A runoff was held on November 16, 2021, since no candidate surpassed 50%. In the runoff Republican Daniel Rickenmann defeated Democratic candidate Tameika Isaac Devine. Daniel became the first Republican mayor of Colombia since 1990.[7] [8]
The election was officially non-partisan , but some candidates were affiliated with political parties.
Devine was endorsed by former U.S. president Barack Obama and House Whip Jim Clyburn . Previously, Columbia has historically voted for Democratic candidates, including Joe Biden for U.S. president by nearly 40 points. Its two previous mayors, Bob Coble and Steve Benjamin were Democrats.[9] [10] Some Republicans, including Ben Shapiro and United States Senator Rick Scott of Florida , cited Rickenmann's win as part of a "red wave."[11] [12]
Results [ edit ] Election for Mayor of Columbia first round, 2021[13] Candidate Votes % Daniel Rickenmann 8,417 43.51% Tameika Isaac Devine 5,846 30.22% Sam Johnson 4,710 24.35% Moe Baddourah 364 1.88% Write-in 9 0.05% Total 19,346 100.00%
Runoff election for Mayor of Columbia, 2021[a] [14] Candidate Votes % Daniel Rickenmann 10,606 52.00% Tameika Isaac Devine 9,789 48.00% Total 20,395 100.00%
2025 Columbia mayoral election
See also [ edit ] ^ Rickenmann and Devine went to a runoff election since no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in the initial election. References [ edit ] ^ "South Carolina capital elects 1st black mayor" . NBC News . 2010-04-22. Retrieved 2024-03-30 . ^ "Richland County: Unofficial Results" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on February 4, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017 . ^ "City of Columbia Run-off: Official Results" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on February 4, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017 . ^ "Richland County: Official Results" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on February 4, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017 . ^ "Dubious new distinction for Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin" . Retrieved September 5, 2018 . ^ "Daniel Rickenmann sworn in as new mayor of Columbia" . The State . Retrieved 14 May 2022 . ^ sfastenau@postandcourier.com, Stephen Fastenau (2021-11-16). "Rickenmann wins Columbia mayor's race; Bussells takes at-large seat" . Post and Courier . Retrieved 2024-03-30 . ^ "Mayoral election in Columbia, South Carolina (2021)" . Ballotpedia . Retrieved 2024-03-30 . ^ "Columbia Mayor Bob Coble drops out of Senate race" . WIS-TV . October 20, 2003. Retrieved March 2, 2024 . ^ GAYNOR, GERREN KEITH (May 13, 2023). "Meet Stephen Benjamin, the most senior Black man in the White House" . The Grio . Retrieved March 2, 2024 . ^ Miller, Andrew. "GOP defeats Obama-endorsed candidate in deep blue city that Biden won handily in 2020" . Fox News . Fox. Retrieved 14 May 2022 . ^ Fastenau, Stephen. "As Republicans laud Rickenmann's Columbia mayor win, many downplay impact on city politics" . The Post and Courier Columbia . The Post and Courier. Retrieved 14 May 2022 . ^ "2021 Municipal Election Day Election Night Reporting" . SC Votes . State of South Carolina. Retrieved 14 May 2022 . ^ "2021 Municipal Election Day - Runoff Election Night Reporting" . SC Votes . State of South Carolina.