GLOVERSVILLE - After losing by a handful of votes in the Republican primary, political newcomer Dayton King made a comeback victory Tuesday and appears to have won the four-way race for mayor of the city.
King, who ran as an independent after he was bumped off the Republican line by Jo-Ann Clear in September's primary, garnered 1,057 votes to Clear's 910, according to unofficial numbers from the Fulton County Board of Elections.
King, who had led after votes were tallied on primary election night, lost the primary when absentee ballots swung the vote to Clear. For Tuesday's election, there are 265 absentee ballots out, and 181 have been received. Ballots, which must be postmarked by Nov. 2, will be opened in three or four days, election officials said Tuesday.
King, 31, credited his energy, enthusiasm and dedication to learning about issues in the city for his victory.
"I came into [the race] new, and I did my research," he said. "People saw that I'm here for the city."
While he is not claiming absolute victory yet, King said Tuesday night he will "go to bed confident" and is prepared to take on his role as mayor-elect.
Clear said when she heard of the results, she experienced a bit of deja vu.
"It sounds like the primary all over again," she said.
Clear acknowledged the chances of the absentee ballots swinging the vote in her favor are slim and said if final results maintain King as the victor, she is happy for him and wishes him well.
"It's like a job interview," she said. "The voters have made their decision, and it appears they have hired Dayton."
Clear said the race for mayor was a difficult and interesting one. She said she does not have any further political aspirations.
"This race was a tough call from day one," she said.
Democrat Judy Marcoux, who came in third with 579 votes, said she does not anticipate attempting to run for office again. She too wished King the best of luck and said she felt her role in the election was an important one.
"I did my job in the primary," she said. "I eliminated [Mayor Tim] Hughes."
Hughes lost to Marcoux in the September primary with 90 votes to Marcoux's 278.
Conservative Dirk Myers rounded out the race with 200 votes. He said he felt a lack of exposure hurt him in the race but said he is still hopeful for a political future in the city.
Myers said with 3rd Ward Councilman James Robinson elected councilman-at-large, there will be a vacancy in the 3rd Ward council seat. Myers said he lives in the 3rd Ward and hopes to be considered for the vacancy.
"I would hope the council would consider me for the position," he said. "That possibility has always been in the back of my mind."
When King assumes his post Jan. 1, he will take the helm of a city in financial turmoil. The city is facing an approximately $1.4 million gap between revenues and expenditures in the proposed 2010 budget. Some city officials have said layoffs of city employees will be inevitable to balance the budget.
The mayor's term is for four years and pays a salary of about $39,000 annually.
