Aditi Srivastava Bussells Heads to Nov. 16. Runoff Election for Columbia City Council Seat in South Carolina

Indian American Aditi Srivastava Bussells will face Tyler Bailey in a runoff election on Nov. 16. for the Columbia City Council at-large seat in South Carolina. In the Nov. 2 election, Srivastava Bussells finished first in the seven-candidate field with 5,841 votes (32 percent), followed by Bailey, who got 4,689 votes (25.7 percent). But as neither received more than 50 percent of the vote, the two will face off in the Nov. 16 runoff election.

“We are so excited to head into the November 16 City Council At-Large runoff with a solid lead,” Srivastava Bussells tweeted. “Thank you for coming out to support us.”

I am so thankful for the outpouring of support. We’re excited to have a substantial lead heading into the runoff election.

My statement on tonight’s election below. #scpol pic.twitter.com/A8kmU4yRBW

— Aditi Srivastav Bussells PhD, MPH (@aditisrivastav) November 3, 2021

In a statement, which she also posted on Twitter, Srivastava Bussells said that “voters in all corners of Columbia have made it clear that they want safe neighborhoods, family-supporting job opportunities, better infrastructure and total accountability in government.”

According to News 19, “the at-large seat is up this year because Tameika Isaac Devine, the longtime holder of the seat, decided not to run for mayor instead of another term. She had held that seat since 2002. “Devine herself finished second in results Tuesday, and is headed to a runoff of her own against Councilman Daniel Rickenmann.,” the News 19 report said. The at-large seat is one of two on the Columbia City Council where the entire city, not just one section of town, can pick its representative. 

Srivastava Bussells ran for the city council seat “because she believes that everyone, regardless of their zip code, deserves to have equal opportunities to thrive,” her website says. She believes that “the government should be accountable to people, not politics.”

Srivastava Bussells was among several South Asian American candidates endorsed by Indian American Impact, which engages in non-partisan candidate training, civic engagement, and voter registration nationwide. “Impact is thrilled to endorse @aditisrivastav for Columbia City Council,” it tweeted last month. “A researcher and public health expert, Dr. Aditi Bussells will be a fierce advocate for economic growth, community investment, and equitable opportunities in Columbia.”

Impact is thrilled to endorse @aditisrivastav for Columbia City Council!

A researcher and public health expert, Dr. Aditi Bussells will be a fierce advocate for economic growth, community investment, and equitable opportunities in Columbia. pic.twitter.com/XjcvYDNLBP

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— Indian American Impact (@IA_Impact) October 20, 2021

Srivastava Bussells is a public health researcher with Children’s Trust and oversees several statewide initiatives that support family and child health and well-being. She received her Ph.D. in public health at the University of South Carolina.

On her website, she says that everyone, “regardless of their zip code, deserves to have equal opportunities to thrive.” A fierce advocate for economic growth, community investment, and equitable opportunities in Columbia, she is an ardent supporter of the notion that a healthy community goes hand-in-hand with a healthy economy.

According to her website, Srivastava Bussells is “a first-generation immigrant who has personally experienced what a thriving community can provide for children and families to succeed.” And “it is this belief that has kept her passionate and engaged in public service, whether its helping communities make decisions using sound science, or building relationships across sectors to find innovative solutions to problems.”

She is married to Louis Bussells, a frontline worker and Army veteran.