Democrats Win Ann Arbor Council Seats
Ryan Bartholomew and Aidan Sova secured the third and fourth ward seats on the Ann Arbor City Council in Tuesday's general election.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democratic candidates Ryan Bartholomew and Aidan Sova won the third and fourth ward seats on the Ann Arbor City Council. Bartholomew defeated Kenny Leicht and Sova defeated James Trost, each receiving about 90% of the vote.
Why it matters
The council consists only of Democrats, and the wins reflect a one-party outcome in Ann Arbor's ward races. The results were decided in the general election against two non-party-affiliated challengers.
Official general election results show Bartholomew and Sova each took about 90% of the vote in their wards. The extraction does not include total turnout or exact vote counts.
The players
Ryan Bartholomew
Ryan Bartholomew is a Democrat who won the third ward seat on the Ann Arbor City Council.
Aidan Sova
Aidan Sova is a Democrat who won the fourth ward seat on the Ann Arbor City Council.
The details
Ryan Bartholomew won the third ward seat over Kenny Leicht, and Aidan Sova won the fourth ward seat over James Trost. Both Democrats had already won their August primaries before the November general election.
Timeline
August 2026: Bartholomew and Sova win their primaries.
November 3, 2026: Democratic candidates win the general election.
November 2026: Bartholomew and Sova take their council positions.
Political Context
The council already consists only of Democrats, so these wins maintain the existing composition rather than shifting it. The two winners faced non-party-affiliated challengers, indicating the contests were decided between Democrats and independent-style opponents.
Ann Arbor residents in the third and fourth wards will have new council representatives beginning in November 2026. With the council composed entirely of Democrats, the new members will join an existing all-Democratic body.
The takeaway
Local council seats are often decided in primaries, and the August nominations effectively set the outcome of the November general election in Ann Arbor's wards.
What happens next
Bartholomew and Sova are scheduled to take their council positions in November 2026.
Further reading
For more on local races, see Elections coverage of Ann Arbor's city council contests.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WEMU-FM.
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