Two Republicans running for Columbus mayor’s office Tuesday

The Columbus primary elections on Tuesday includes a contested mayoral race on the Republican ballot.

Columbus voters have a choice former State Rep. Milo Smith and Mary Ferdon, the city’s current executive director of administration and community development.

We asked the candidates about the current direction of the city government.

Smith said that he feels the city is overall doing a decent job.

Ferdon said that the city has mostly recovered from the pandemic.

On the Democratic side there is a contested race between three candidates vying for the recently redrawn 3rd District seat on the City Council, incumbent Jerone Wood, Michael Kinder and Tony Hayden.

Early voting is available in Columbus at Nexus Park, the former Fair Oaks Mall. You can vote from 8 to 5 on weekdays leading up to the primary. On Saturday, you can vote from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Nexus Park and at the Governmental Office Building on Third Street downtown.

Early voting ends on Monday at noon. Election Day is Tuesday and polls at Bartholomew County voting centers will be open from 6 to 6.

You can check your voting status at indianavoters.in.gov.