Nick Foster keeps seat in Columbia’s Fourth Ward

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Fourth Ward voted to retain its city council member Tuesday.

Nick Foster held onto his seat with 4,570 votes to challenger Ron Graves' 2,775. Graves' campaign had partnered with that of Blair Murphy, who lost in a challenge of Mayor Barbara Buffaloe. Graves and Murphy's campaigns placed signs side-by-side in the Fourth Ward.

Foster said his win was the culmination of a lot of hard work.

"Not just mine, but by a lot of folks who helped me with the campaign," Foster said. "I'm incredibly grateful to them and very grateful to those who voted for me. The trust they put in me, I don't want that to be misplaced and I want to be the very best I can."

He believes his experience gave him a leg up in the race.

"I think that I've proven myself as someone who works hard and who manages to get results," Foster said. "So I hope people see that. I suspect that they do and I appreciate that. It just causes me to want to do all the more as I can for my ward and for the city as a whole."

Foster went to Mayor Barbara Buffaloe's watch party after his.

"I'm really grateful that Barbara won," Foster said. "We've worked well together. I think she's done an outstanding job, and I look forward to working the next three years with her again."

Graves said a lot of work went into his campaign for the result.

"But, you know, it is what it is," Graves said. "The voters have spoken and obviously the city of Columbia, the voters in the Fourth Ward, didn't feel like they needed a change."

He said he was disappointed with the outcome but the loss allows for other doors to open.

"I have a son in college, now I'm not going to sports 52 weeks out of the year," Graves said. "So I plan on getting a little bit more involved now that this didn't happen."

He also said he plans to possibly do more volunteering with the university and city. Graves thanked his supporters in his concession.

"I really appreciate everything that they've done," Graves said. "I mean, it was a great campaign. It was a quick campaign. But I really appreciate everything they did. Everything. Everybody that helped me. It was great."

Foster addressed his critics when he spoke with ABC 17 News Tuesday.

"I know that not everyone voted for me," Foster said. "And even though I think I had a convincing win, there are some people who chose a different direction. I'm fully aware of that, and my hand is out to everyone in my ward. I feel a sense of responsibility to all of them. And though we may not agree about everything, I'm interested in having conversations with everyone who's interested in having a conversation with me, and I want to hear from everyone."

Foster previously told ABC 17 News he feels he and the council have accomplished a great deal during the past three years.

"It's been a good experience and I feel like I'm even more qualified than I was the first time around," Foster said. He said he ran because he wants to build on those accomplishments.

Ron Graves previously told ABC 17 News the impetus of him running was hearing about a young woman who was shot in Downtown Columbia in November.

"I just decided I really needed to do something," Graves said.

Public safety was a top priority for both candidates. Graves had said that part of his campaign focused on police officer and firefighter retention.

Foster also says policing has been an issue, but one that's seen improvements. He said the Columbia Police Department had about 29 vacancies in September but got that number down to about 14 by March. Foster said policing is moving in the right direction and he hopes to continue being a part of positive changes.

Affordable housing was another crucial issue for both candidates.

Graves believes financial incentives could be a solution. He works with a homeless veterans program at the VA hospital. He told ABC 17 News there are 40 homeless veterans that he knows are looking for housing in Columbia and Jefferson City who can't find available or affordable options.

He said the city has the resources and ability to use financial incentives to bring more contractors in for more housing projects in the community.

Foster is passionate about creative and innovative housing units.

He mentioned Kinney Point in a previous interview with ABC 17 News, which are affordable housing complexes that were built in Columbia in 2024. Foster said they have side-by-side duplexes that are built like a tiny home concept. He said those housing units are something Columbia could replicate in other parts of the city.