ColumbiaNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Columbia Mayor & City Council Election 2026

6 of 6 council seats are on the ballot, with 10 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
In-person no-excuse early voting begins (Oct 29): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Voters citywide choose one mayor and may vote for up to six City Council candidates; the six with the most votes win.

In-person no-excuse early voting begins · Oct 29

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

What the next council decides

01Data centers4 sourced facts

Where it standsA six-month moratorium on data centers in the city limits took effect in July 2026, and the Planning and Zoning Commission is drafting rules.

What's on the tableWhether to adopt a data center ordinance, and whether to extend the moratorium if the rules are not ready.

02City gas system projects4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is replacing and extending gas lines, including a KY 61 gas line replacement and a gas extension on Industrial Park Road.

What's on the tableWhich gas contracts and bids to approve, and which grants to pursue.

03Property tax rate2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council set the 2026 city property tax rate at 16.2 cents per $100 of assessed value, down from 18.6 cents in 2025.

What's on the tableThe property tax rate the council sets each year.

04Code enforcement3 sourced facts

Where it standsThree properties in long-running violation of the city's nuisance ordinance were referred to the city attorney, and the council appointed a full Code Enforcement Board in August 2026.

What's on the tableHow firmly the city pursues owners of properties that violate the nuisance ordinance.

05City support for community events3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council funds some community events, such as $1,000 for downtown Christmas activities, and took no action on a request to sponsor a tourism Halloween mixer.

What's on the tableWhich community events, if any, receive city money.

3 notes on these statements

Nine candidates are on the ballot for six Columbia City Council seats; five incumbents are seeking reelection and incumbent Rhonda Loy did not file. Adair County Community Voice · Jun 3, 2026

Incumbent Mayor Pamela Hoots is unopposed and appears alone on the ballot for mayor. Adair County Community Voice · Jun 3, 2026

All candidates seeking city council seats and the unopposed mayoral candidate filed the $5,000 exemption with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. Adair County Community Voice · Oct 14, 2026

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should Columbia pause data center construction while it writes rules for them?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted1 council decision, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 6 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

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