Voters pick Elwood for Ward 2 Columbia City Council seat
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Vera Elwood will be the next person to represent Columbia’s second ward.
Second Ward voters picked Elwood over Ken Rice in Tuesday’s special election, giving her 56.6% of the vote. She garnered 1,480 votes compared to Rice’s 1,130. Two write-in ballots were also cast. Boone County saw a 12.58% total voter turnout.
Elwood said she’s looking forward to getting to work.
“The first thing I want to do, and I’ve said it since the beginning of the campaign, is I’d really love to see a full report, a full audit of the outsourcing in Colombia’s budget. I’d really love to see where that money is going, what it’s costing us item by item,” Elwood said.
Both candidates spent their final hours leading into Election Night speaking with voters and casting their own ballots.
The election was held after former Ward 2 Councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced her resignation.
Elwood works as a librarian and ran a campaign focused on “A Columbia for all.” The campaign focused on fully staffing city departments, expanding public infrastructure and making streets within the city more accessible for all.
Elwood spent the final weekend of the campaign knocking on doors and having conversations with ward 2 residents, according to her campaign manager Rachel Stallings.
“I believe strongly in the power and importance of local government and encourage everyone to vote today so your voice can be heard through the greatest form of civic participation,” Elwood said.
Ken Rice (left) poses for a photo — with his wife Rebecca and son Brandon — while the election for Columbia’s Ward 2 seat is underway on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
Rice works as the chief operating officer of Pickleman’s Franchising and ran a campaign focused on “less talk, more action.” He pushed for fully staffing police and emergency services within the city, investing in safer neighborhoods and allowing residents to be more involved in decision-making processes.
Rice said he spent Tuesday reminding people to vote by text and via social media. He also took to polling places, working to speak with voters and answer last minute questions.
“My message of being ‘the people’s voice’ and ‘less talk, more action’ truly resonated with the voters and we will do very well tonight,” Rice said.
The latest Missouri Ethics Commission report showed Elwood more than doubled Rice’ campaign finance total.
Rice was endorsed by former Councilwoman Lisa Meyer. Meyer told ABC 17 News Tuesday that she feels the City Council needs objectivity, which prompted her decision to support him.
“We don’t need somebody else on the council who’s just going to vote like everyone else votes,” Meyer said. “Ken is going to do his homework. He’s not going to show up and not know what he’s talking about and he’s going to ask really good questions.”
Elwood received endorsements from LiUNA Local 955, and former Ward 2 Councilmembers Andrea Waner and Mike Trapp, Rep. Gregg Bush (District 50), Rep. Adrian Plank (District 47) and Columbia Professional Firefighters.
Rice held a watch party Tuesday night at Sports Zone at Wyndham Hotel and Resorts at 6:30 p.m.. Elwood hosted a watch party at IAFF Union Hall in Columbia at 7 p.m.