Mike Wolanin | The Republic Mary Ferdon celebrates after winning her election to become the next mayor of Columbus during the Bartholomew County Republican Party election results watch party at The Forge on 4th in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.
Voters have chosen a longtime city administrator to lead Columbus.
Republican Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration and community development, won the mayoral race with 4,755 votes (73.13% of the vote), with independent candidate and bartender Sean Burton receiving 1,747 votes (26.87% of the vote).
After the final vote totals were announced, Ferdon said that she felt “excited, relieved, eager to get started, and just very appreciative.”
“The next couple of months are going to be busy,” she said, noting that next steps will include transitioning out of her current position with the city, assembling a team and preparing for January.
Ferdon succeeds incumbent Mayor Jim Lienhoop, a fellow Republican who chose not to seek a third term and who had endorsed her candidacy.
“Mary’s a very deserving candidate, and I feel very happy for her,” Lienhoop said. “… She’s incredibly capable, and I look forward to her time as mayor of the city of Columbus.”
When asked how he was feeling after the final results came in, Burton replied, “Pretty good. I’m actually on my way to The Forge to congratulate Mary.”
He added that he wants to thank her for running a clean campaign.
Ferdon took an early lead Tuesday night, receiving 76% of mail and walk-in absentee votes.
She previously beat former Indiana State Representative Milo Smith to win the Republican nomination in May, receiving about 63% of the vote.
Following the primary, Burton filed to run as an independent candidate, stating that he wanted to represent blue-collar residents who “feel disconnected from local government.” He also said he wanted to provide people another choice in the mayoral race, which would have otherwise been uncontested.
No Democrats filed to run for mayor in the general election. Democrat Sean Webster originally filed to run in the primary but later withdrew his nomination after learning his residence, located in Wayne Township, is 195 feet outside the city limits.
Former Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, a Republican, was the first individual to announce his candidacy for mayor, doing so the day after the 2022 general election. However, he was also the first to withdraw, attributing the decision to a desire to move away from public service and into the private sector, as well as to spend more time with his family.
When asked if he would consider running for mayor or another public office again, Burton said that he hasn’t thought much about what comes next, but the race has been a “lifechanging experience.”
“I haven’t put any thought into what happens beyond tonight,” he said.
