By EVM Staff
Write-in candidate LaShawn Johnson will serve as Flint City Councilperson for the city’s Third Ward, as confirmed by certified results of the August 5, 2025 special general election.
Johnson’s victory was certified on Wednesday, Aug. 13 by the Genesee County Board of Canvassers. She beat out the seat’s two primary election winners, Beverly Biggs-Leavy and A.C. Dumas, with about 43.5% (or 322) of the 740 total votes.
Biggs-Leavy garnered about 30.5% (or 226) and Dumas had roughly 26% (or 192) of the total votes.
Biggs-Leavy had told the press prior to the Wednesday’s certification that she intended to ask for a recount. However, Genesee County Clerk/Registrar Clemons confirmed to EVM that the 48-hour deadline for a recount filing passed at 11:30 a.m. this morning without a filing.
Johnson will serve a partial term ending in November 2026. She is replacing the late Councilman Quincy Murphy, who died in September 2024.
The lead up to Johnson’s election victory was contentious, with Flint City Council failing to select an interim representative for the Third Ward within 30 days, despite city charter requirements; a January 2025 announcement of “Third Ward Ambassadors” (one of whom was Johnson) in lieu of a Council-selected representative; and a primary election in which Johnson filed for recount after receiving 162 votes to Biggs-Leavy’s and Dumas’ 165 each.
Final tallies for the Aug. 5 election — which also included votes on millages in Byron and Grand Blanc Township and a city council seat in Burton — are available here.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. The original story did not include Clerk Clemons’ response regarding the possibility of the special general election’s recount, which had not been received by original press time.
