Brookhaven candidates are gearing up for another round of campaigning.
Of the five races to lead the city’s first government, only one produced a clear winner in the Nov. 6 election. The other four will continue until a Dec. 4 runoff. A candidate must receive more than half the votes cost to avoid a runoff.
Jim Eyre won the District 2 City Council seat with 54.63 percent of the vote.
In the mayor’s race, J. Max Davis and Sandy Murray led the field of four candidates after all the votes were counted. Davis fell just short of the 50 percent plus one vote required to win the election outright, garnering 49 percent of the total votes cast.
On Election Night, Davis asked his supporters to continue campaigning through the runoff election.
“We need everybody rallied up again because we need to get Brookhaven started off right, with somebody who actually believes in the city,” Davis said.
Murray, who took 36 percent of the vote, said she was pleased she made it to the runoff.
“I’m really excited about our new city and the potential we have to make it something we all enjoy living and participating in,” Murray said.
Eyre, in District 2, said he was glad to have his election out of the way.
“I think the campaign was the easy part,” Eyre said. “Now the real work begins. I’m just glad it’s over and I’m glad I ended up as a councilperson. I’m ready to get to work and do what’s best for Brookhaven.”
Eyre is an active member of the Ashford Park Civic Association and was a vocal opponent of incorporating a city of Brookhaven.
The runoff will be held only days before the city officially opens for business on Dec. 17.
With 24 candidates on the ballot to fill five positions, runoff elections seemed inevitable. Races varied from District 4, with just three candidates, to District 3, with eight.
Brookhaven will be governed by a mayor and four city council members. Each council member will represent a different quadrant of the city.
According to the City Charter, a quorum of three council members is needed to begin conducting business. As the lone elected official in Brookhaven, Eyre will not be able to make decisions until the rest of the council is seated in December.
“Until we have a quorum, there’s not a whole lot of work we can do,” Eyre said.
He said while other campaigns are under way, he plans to focus on working with the Governor’s Commission on Brookhaven to prepare the city to begin operations.
“Now that I’m a councilperson, it gives me the opportunity to get up to speed and see where we can take this thing,” Eyre said.
The following candidates will be on the ballot in the Dec. 4 runoff election:
Mayor: J. Max Davis, Sandy Murray.
City Council District 1: Kevin D. Fitzpartrick Jr., Rebecca Chase Williams
City Council District 3: Bates Mattison, Kevin Quirk
City Council District 4: Joe Gebbia, Karen Lord
Below are unofficial results from the Nov. 6 election:
Mayor – 12 of 12 precincts Total votes
Larry Danese 10.32% 1,637
J. Max Davis 48.66% 7,720
Sandy Murray 35.51% 5,704
Thom Shepard 5.07% 805
District 1 — 4 of 4 precincts reporting
Alan Cole 18.58% 1,073
Michelle Conlon 4.78% 276
Kevin D. Fitzpartick Jr. 19.44% 1,123
Kevin Meaders 12.00% 693
Rebecca Chase Williams 45.20% 2,611
District 2 — 4 of 4 precincts reporting
Jim Eyre 54.63% 1,782
Larry Hurst 13.64% 445
Russell Mitchell 31.73% 1,035
District 3 — 5 of 5 precincts reporting
Deborah Anthony 17.60% 726
Hope Bawcom 12.42% 512
Bates Mattison 21.22% 875
Bridget O’Donnell 6.57% 271
Ben Podgor 2.23% 92
Kevin Quirk 20.97% 865
Julia Russo 12.20% 503
Gaye L. Stathis 1.48% 61
Erik Steavens 5.31% 219
District 4 — 4 of 4 precincts
Joe Gebbia 39.75% 820
Karen Lord 34.27% 707
Kerry Witt 25.98% 536