FLINT, Mich. — There is no clear victor in the race for Flint’s Third Ward City council seat. According to unofficial election results, assigned write-ins took the lead, and it may take up to two weeks to find out who will represent that ward.
Unassigned write-ins received 328 votes, Beverly Biggs‑Leavy received 225 votes, and A.C Dumas received 192 votes.
“That number over the next several days will be lowered down,” said Genesee County Clerk Dominque Clemons. “ It’s likely that most of them are for (LaShawn Johnson) but we can’t say that until the Board of Canvassers review the signatures.”
Clemons said the Board of Canvassers has up to 14 days but could have the certified results in by Friday. The Board is scheduled to meet on Aug. 6, 2025, at 1 p.m.
He added that though it is unlikely write-ins win, it does occasionally happen.
“It was a very small election,” Clemons said. “The current mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, won as a write-in. It’s not impossible. It happens. In a race with this low of a turnout, this type of stuff happens.”
Biggs-Leavy and Dumas tied in the May 6 primary, each receiving 165 votes. Lashawn Johnson, who received 162 votes, requested a recount, which confirmed the tie.
The seat was left vacant after Councilman Quincy Murphy’s death in September 2024. Murphy had represented the ward through November 2026 before his passing. The council did not appoint a successor, leaving the Third Ward seat empty for nearly a year.
With the council split 4‑4 since Murphy’s death, this election had the potential to tilt the balance of power on the nine‑member body, possibly breaking the deadlock. Flint City Council had been unable to select a president or vice president and had repeatedly failed to appoint a replacement for the vacant seat.