What initially appeared to be an uncontested city council race has turned into a competitive runoff election after no candidate secured the required majority in Tuesday’s special election for Fairfield’s Ward 3 seat.
Brian Horsfield, the lone name appearing on the ballot, narrowly edged out last-minute write-in challenger Victoria Thompson in a surprisingly close contest. Horsfield captured 46 votes compared to Thompson’s 44, while minimal additional votes were cast for other candidates. The tight margin means neither candidate achieved the necessary 50 percent threshold required to win outright.
Jefferson County Elections Clerk Abbie DeKleine confirmed that a runoff election between the top two vote-getters will take place on Tuesday, September 30. The election will again be limited to Ward 3 residents in the western and northwest portions of Fairfield, with polling from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Nazarene Family Center on West Briggs Avenue. Absentee voting will be available at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
The special election was called to fill the vacancy left by the death of former council member Judy Ham in June. Horsfield entered the race expecting minor opposition, only learning of Thompson’s write-in campaign on election morning.
The outcome of this runoff will determine who serves the remainder of Ham’s term on the Fairfield City Council, representing the interests of Ward 3 residents in municipal governance decisions.
