He becomes the city's first African American mayor and the first new mayor in 20 years.
COLUMBIA -- The voters have decided. Steve Benjamin is Columbia's next mayor.
For the first time in 20 years, the city of Columbia will have new leadership.
Benjamin grabbed 10,784 votes getting over 55 percent of voters' approval in Tuesday's run-off election. That compares to opponent Kirkman Finlay's 8,558 votes and 44 percent.
The two candidates squared off in the run-off election just two weeks after they grabbed the most votes out of the seven candidates in the city's general election.
With the win, he becomes the first African American mayor to serve in the city's history.
Benjamin will replace outgoing Mayor Bob Coble who has served the city for two decades.
That transition will take place July 1.
Meanwhile, voter turnout was higher for the run-off than it was two weeks ago in the last election. The run-off brought in a 31 percent turnout, when the general election brought in just 26 percent of registered voters
Check out our Politics Page for the latest results and news out of the polls.
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