Sturtz unseats First Ward incumbent
April 11, 2008
First Ward City Council candidate Paul Sturtz announces he is in the lead of the race on Tuesday at The Pasta Factory. Sturtz defeated incumbent Almeta Crayton.
(Click graphic to enlarge)
The first time First Ward candidate Paul Sturtz ever ran for office, he did famously well. Tuesday night, Sturtz won the First Ward City Council seat by slightly more than 60 percent of the total 1,364 votes.
Deputy County Clerk Leslie Canlle said the results would be certified sometime next week.
Both Sturtz and incumbent Almeta Crayton had watch parties where they invited their family, friends and supporters to watch the election results pour in.
The moods at the two parties were drastically different.
At The Pasta Factory, Sturtz had trouble getting a moment to himself just to answer the phone for updates. The room was bustling, and whoops and hollers broke out with every election announcement.
North of The Pasta Factory in the basement of Boone Tavern, Crayton’s party was a much more somber scene. Much quieter and more formal, Crayton sat at a table by herself, as city officials and friends came by to check on her.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Crayton said to everyone who asked how she was doing once the final results were in.
When it became clear she wasn’t going to win, City Manager Bill Watkins gave Crayton a hug.
“You done good,” he said. “You know that.”
Crayton received slightly more than 30 percent of the votes.
She said she didn’t know whether she would continue her activism in the ward.
“It’s time to move on. I guess I’ll see what they want to do, but eventually they need to learn to step up for themselves,” she said of the residents living and working in the First Ward.
Whatever their reason for electing Sturtz, it was clear that many First Ward neighbors wanted someone different. This was the first time since 1981 that a Columbia City Council incumbent was unseated, according to records in the Columbia City Clerk’s office.
“The residents of the First Ward want a change,” said Suzanne Bagby, who is the program director for the Mid-Missouri High Steppers. “It’s 2008. We need this ward to be progressive.”
MU senior Glenn Rehn, who was the student coordinator for Sturtz’s campaign, was largely responsible for Sturtz’s campaign for student votes using Facebook.com, as well as measures such as calling and text messaging people to vote.
“This is the kind of election that if you don’t contact people personally they don’t vote,” Rehn said. “Students don’t always feel a connection to the city.”
Rehn said Sturtz was the best candidate to lead the city in a progressive direction.
Crayton-supporter Wynna Faye Elbert said at Crayton’s watch party she would work with whoever won the election.
“We’re not going to go backwards,” Elbert said. “We’ll welcome them to the First Ward and make our wants known.”
Candidates John Clark and Karen Baxter each received less than 5 percent of the vote.
In addition to the First Ward election, MU Graduate Studies Academic Adviser Tom Rose and MU psychology professor Ines Segert were elected as two of three Columbia Public Schools board members.
Rose received the most votes, which was about a quarter of the 49,577 votes cast. Segert received about 20 percent of the vote.
More April 11, 2008 News Stories
- BEC decertifies election, throws out ‘absentee’ votes — Arts and Science senators will vote to break a tie in the college.
- Senate meeting passes resolutions and bills — Resolutions about textbook deadlines and 'swipe-in' ticket procedures were passed.
- Affirmative Action forum held at MU — Some members of the MU community are speaking up about affirmative action. Students and faculty filled Monsanto Auditorium to debate ...
- MSA election results uncertain — The most recent MSA Senate elections are over, but the Student Court’s turn to address problems associated with this year’s ...
- Condom plan waits on survey — MU’s Sexual Health and Safety Products Task Force is discussing a pilot program that would place sexual safety product dispensers ...
Most recent News Stories
- KCOU's future uncertain because of lack of funds — The station needs funds to replace its radio tower and move its offices.
- Campus organizations work to register students to vote — Since June, ASUM has registered more than 1,500 students.
- MU aims to increase faculty salaries — As of 2006, MU ranks 33 of 34 for faculty pay in the public division of the AAU.
- STRIPES age-requirement initiative waits on signatures — The organization is also celebrating its seventh anniversary.
- MU takes Cyber Security Awareness Month seriously — The Division of IT offers free software and security tips.