David Tyson Smith becomes Columbia s first Black state representative columbiatribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from columbiatribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The 45th House District seat wasn t supposed to be on the April ballot.
Former state Rep. Kip Kendrick was re-elected to the post in November, his final term representing residents in Boone County.
Gov. Mike Parson called the special election Jan. 27, and Libertarian candidate Glenn Nielsen and Democratic candidate David Tyson Smith on Tuesday will vie for votes to become the 45th District state representative.
Nielsen, a member of the Missouri Libertarian Party for over two decades, decided to run after the events of the death of George Floyd last summer and the economic downfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Emmet Jamieson
The Boone County Democratic Party nominated Columbia attorney David Tyson Smith on Jan. 20 to run in the April 6 special election for former state Rep. Kip Kendrick’s seat.
Tyson, if elected, will represent House District 45, which includes downtown Columbia and most of the MU campus, in the Missouri House of Representatives. He would be the first Black man to represent Columbia in the chamber, as well as the first to hold any seat based in mid-Missouri.
Rep. Kendrick retired from his seat last year to serve as chief of staff to newly elected state Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City. Rep. Kendrick had just won re-election, so his stepping down triggered a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of his term.
MISSOURI- Missouri s April general municipal election candidate filing ended on Jan. 19, right before Inauguration Day. The final certification day will be Tuesday, Jan. 26 and the special election will be held April 6.
Three candidates are running for the Columbia City Council Second Ward seat, and three are running for the Sixth Ward seat. The Second Ward covers much of north-central and northwest Columbia, with Six Ward covering much of east-central and southeast Columbia.Â
Five people announced their candidacies for two open seats in the Columbia Public School School Board, which is a three year term. One seat opened last minute, as Board Vice President Susan Blackburn dropped out of the race Tuesday evening.Â