Hoppe wins in landslide
Hoppe defeated local real estate agent Valerie Barnes for the seat, receiving 1,032 votes to Barnes' 378.
Published April 7, 2006
Sixth Ward citizens gave the city a strong message in favor of regulating development as local environmental activist and Missouri state public defender Barbara Hoppe received more than twice as many votes as her opponent, local real estate agent Valerie Barnes, on Tuesday.
Hoppe received 73.19 percent of the votes.
"This is a great victory for citizens, and will be a great victory for Columbia," Hoppe said during her victory speech.
Hoppe's supporters attended a party at The Pasta Factory, 1020 E. Broadway, to watch the results of the election.
"This was a citizen-driven campaign," Hoppe said in her speech. "Future citizens can look back and say, 'They could have gone down a bad road,' but you went down a good road."
Throughout Boone County, there was a 23.25 percent voter turnout. Hoppe defeated Barnes for the seat. She received 1,032 votes in the Sixth Ward to Barnes' 378.
"We're very pleased Barbara Hoppe has won. It's a great thing," said Bill Monroe, a representative of Democracy for Missouri who attended the event. "Both campaigns were very good and very clean. The people spoke, and the people support smart growth. It was a grassroots campaign."
Hoppe thanked the many volunteers who worked for her campaign. She said many people came to her asking how to help.
Hoppe said she believes she had a wide margin of victory because of her connection to what voters want for the city.
"The average Columbia resident is concerned about protecting the uniqueness of Columbia, positive growth and protecting the environment," Hoppe said. "Things aren't planned right, and the citizens see that. You don't have to convince them, they live it."
David Robinson, who worked with Hoppe on many local projects, also attended the party.
Robinson said he knew she would be a good council member because of her previous work in the community.
"She didn't have to win to be a great leader, she was that anyway," he said. "She's someone I really admire and support no matter what she's doing. Obviously, her neighbors felt the same way as I did."
Alyce Turner, who worked with Hoppe on the Coalition to Save Stephen's Lake, said Hoppe is a hard worker who gets things done and will continue to do so on the City Council.