Editing Columbia, Missouri (section)

==Government and politics==
{{see also|List of mayors of Columbia, Missouri}}
[[File:Boone County Courthouse in Columbia, Missouri.jpg|thumb|The [[Boone County Courthouse (Missouri)|Boone County Courthouse]] within the Boone County Government Center|alt=Photograph of the Boone County Courthouse]]
Columbia's current government was established by a [[Statutory city (United States)|home rule charter]] adopted by voters on November 11, 1974, which established a council-manager government that invested power in the city council. The city council has seven members: six elected by each of Columbia's six [[single-member district]]s or [[ward (politics)|wards]] and an [[at-large]] member, the mayor, who is elected by all city voters. The mayor receives a $9,000 annual stipend, and the six other members receive a $6,000 annual stipend. They are elected to staggered three-year terms. As well as serving as a voting member of the city council, the mayor is recognized as the head of city government for ceremonial purposes. Chief executive authority is invested in a hired city manager, who oversees the government's day-to-day operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Columbia_Code_of_Ordinances/Chapter_99/01.html | title=Columbia Code of Ordinances | work=City of Columbia | access-date=January 1, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225210605/http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Columbia_Code_of_Ordinances/Chapter_99/01.html | archive-date=December 25, 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Columbia is the county seat of Boone County,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boone County |url=https://electionexcellence.org/our-community/boone-county/#:~:text=The%20county%20seat%20is%20Columbia,Interstate%2070%20running%20through%20it. |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence |language=en-US}}</ref> and houses the county court and government center.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boone County Government |url=https://www.showmeboone.com/hours-location.asp |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.showmeboone.com |language=en}}</ref> The city is in [[Missouri's 4th congressional district]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alford |first=Mark |title=Mark Alford - District Map |url=https://www.congress.gov/member/district/mark-alford/A000379 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.congress.gov}}</ref> The 19th [[Missouri State Senate]] district covers all of Boone County.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Missouri Senate District 19 |url=https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/missouri-senate-district-19/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Columbia Missourian |language=en}}</ref> There are five [[Missouri House of Representatives]] districts (9, 21, 23, 24, and 25) in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Missouri House of Representatives - Home |url=https://house.mo.gov/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=house.mo.gov}}</ref> The [[Columbia Police Department]] provides law enforcement across the city,<ref>{{Cite news |title=City of Columbia - Official Government Website |url=https://www.como.gov/police/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250419035955/https://www.como.gov/police/ |archive-date=2025-04-19 |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=City of Columbia Missouri |language=en-US}}</ref> while the [[Columbia Fire Department]] provides fire protection.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City of Columbia - Official Government Website |url=https://www.como.gov/fire/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250309120729/https://www.como.gov/fire/ |archive-date=2025-03-09 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.como.gov |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[University of Missouri Police Department]] also patrols areas on and around the [[University of Missouri]] campus and has jurisdiction throughout the state.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=University of Missouri Police Department (MUPD) |url=https://mupolice.missouri.edu/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=University Police |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, the [[Boone County Sheriff's Department (Missouri)|Boone County Sheriff's Department]], the law enforcement agency for the county, regularly patrols the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boone County Government |url=https://www.boonecountymo.org/sheriff/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.boonecountymo.org |language=en}}</ref> [[The Public Service Joint Communications Center]] coordinates efforts between the two organizations as well as the [[Boone County Fire Protection District]], which operates [[Urban Search and Rescue Missouri Task Force 1]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boone County Government |url=https://www.showmeboone.com/bcjc/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.showmeboone.com |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:CoMo city hall front.jpg|thumb|The Daniel Boone Building houses [[City Hall (Columbia, Missouri)|Columbia's City Hall]].|alt=Photograph of Columbia’s City Hall]]
The population generally supports progressive causes, such as recycling programs and the decriminalization of cannabis<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/11/08/ideological-scales-look-columbias-political-landsc/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20080111151649/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/11/08/ideological-scales-look-columbias-political-landsc/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 11, 2008 | title=Ideological scales: A look at Columbia's political landscape | publisher=[[Columbia Missourian]] | last=Willems | first=Spencer | date=November 8, 2007 | access-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2005/11/10/marijuana-law-gets-new-review/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20080112054253/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2005/11/10/marijuana-law-gets-new-review/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 12, 2008 | title=Marijuana law gets new review | publisher=[[Columbia Missourian]] | last=Zagier | first=Alan Scher | date=November 10, 2005 | access-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref> both for medical and recreational use at the municipal level, though the scope of the latter of the two cannabis ordinances has since been restricted.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/02/21/city-council-revises-pot-ordinance/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20080112054254/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/02/21/city-council-revises-pot-ordinance/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 12, 2008 | title=City Council revises pot ordinance | publisher=[[Columbia Missourian]] | last=Hammes | first=Joanie |date=February 21, 2006 | access-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref> The city is one of only four in the state to offer medical benefits to same-sex partners of city employees.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/12/19/council-oks-benefits-for-domestic-partners/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20080112054304/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/12/19/council-oks-benefits-for-domestic-partners/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 12, 2008 | title=Council Oks Benefits for Domestic Partners | publisher=[[Columbia Missourian]] | last=Salazar | first=Anne | date=December 19, 2006 | access-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref> The new health plan extends health benefits to unmarried heterosexual domestic partners of city employees.

On October 10, 2006, the city council approved an ordinance to prohibit smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars. The ordinance was passed over protest, and several amendments to the ordinance reflect this.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/10/10/smoking-ban-passes/ | title=Smoking Ban Passes | publisher=[[Columbia Missourian]] | date=October 10, 2006 | access-date=January 1, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120727065323/http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/10/10/smoking-ban-passes/ | archive-date=July 27, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Over half of residents possess at least a bachelor's degree,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Columbia&_cityTown=Columbia&_state=04000US29&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 | title=American Factfinder Columbia, Missouri | work=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=January 1, 2008 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211180209/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Columbia&_cityTown=Columbia&_state=04000US29&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 | archive-date=February 11, 2020 | url-status=dead }}</ref> while over a quarter hold a graduate degree.<ref name="rkmnym">{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/educated.html |title=Money's best places to live – most educated |work=[[Money Magazine]] |access-date=January 1, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511115112/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/educated.html |archive-date=May 11, 2012 }}</ref> Columbia is the 13th most-highly educated municipality in the United States.<ref name = "rkmnym"/>

In February 2024, the Columbia City Council voted to legally make and declare the entire city a safe haven for transgender people and cisgender homosexuals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/02/this-city-just-declared-itself-a-safe-haven-for-lgbtq-people/ | title=This city just declared itself a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people | date=February 22, 2024 }}</ref>