In a signature campaign video, Bill Martin danced in front of every significant landmark in the City of Havre de Grace, often accompanied by his and his friend's children and other supporters.
Tuesday night, Martin was a bit more low-key after he was announced as the city's new mayor, humbly accepting congratulations from his many supporters. He defeated first-time candidate Charlie Hiner, 995 go 936.
"I'm just very honored that the citizens gave me the opportunity to serve them in a different role in the city. I think the campaign was a good campaign," he said.
The big winner Tuesday was Monica Worrell, who ran for City Council after losing a bid for the County Council last year; she got 1,303 of the total 1,953 votes.
Worrell and her supporters shrieked as the results were read, drowning out city board of elections president George Deibel. She was overjoyed and tearful, hugging almost everyone in sight at St. Patrick Hall until election officials emptied the room.
"I am not usually at a loss for words, and I am," Worrell said as she embraced fellow council winner David Martin. "What an honor; what an honor."
Worrell joined David Martin, 695 votes, in unseating two longtime incumbents on the council, Fred Cullum and John Correri. Only Randy Craig, 939 votes, was re-elected to the council. Newcomer Johnny Boker finished 44 votes behind Cullum.
The unofficial finish of Tuesday's election in Havre de Grace was:
For mayor
Bill Martin – 995
Hiner – 936
For council
Worrell – 1,303
Craig – 939
D. Martin – 695
Correri – 648
Cullum – 598
Boker - 554
"I'm certainly disappointed because I would certainly like to return," Cullum said as he left St. Patrick Hall. "It's disappointing, when you put 18 years into something."
"I am not really shocked," he added about the results. "We had candidates with name recognition. It makes a difference."
Correri, who recently had a hip replacement, was not at the polling site on Election Day.
David Martin said he was "thrilled" to learn he won and believes he ran a good campaign.
"Every candidate here is qualified," he noted. "I think I appealed to a lot of different people. I did not concentrate on any one community, I concentrated on the entire Havre de Grace."
"I knew Monica was a good candidate; I knew she was really going to be my competition, and Monica ran a fantastic race," he said.
"This was the most positive race I've seen and we've had probably the most voters come out in years so this was good for Havre de Grace," he said.
Martin, a middle school history teacher who has been a City Council member since 2008, outpolled real estate broker and first-time candidate Charlie Hiner, 995 to 936, according to unofficial returns announced by the city's election board.
"I think the outcome really reflects what I've been saying for a long time in my campaign: we've done a lot of great things in the city and we still have a lot of great things to complete in the future," Martin said.
The new mayor will be sworn in for his two-year term on May 18 to replace Wayne Dougherty, who did not seek re-election after serving eight years.
A total of 1,953 of the 10,026 eligible voters in the city cast ballots on Tuesday at St. Patrick Hall under mostly sunny skies and unseasonably mild temperatures in the 80s much of the afternoon.
Voters continued to pour in as Election Day was winding down Tuesday night.
Darryl Leonetti was among those who supported Bill Martin for mayor.
"I have been around Bill for about eight years, since we have been here in Havre de Grace," Leonetti said, noting he also voted for Craig, Cullum and Dave Martin.
"He loves Havre de Grace, period," Leonetti said about Bill Martin, adding that when Martin does something, "he is doing it because he thinks it's the best thing for Havre de Grace."
"It seems like a good turnout. Usually it's quite a bit less," he said of the race. "My theory is, if you don't vote, keep your mouth shut."
Ayla James was one of Worrell's supporters. She did not have strong feelings about the mayoral candidates but said she cast her ballot for Worrell "because she is a woman and because I know her."
"I work at Bulle Rock, and she is always there for different events," James said. "She is really involved in the community."
As a 21-year-old black woman, James noted she had not seen many other young residents, or people of color, coming to vote.
"I feel like they don't care, but they are still going to complain," she said, adding the election could use more diversity, but "I think we are a pretty good city overall."
Kathleen Mader, a longtime teacher in the city, would not say who she voted for but also said she would like to see more diversity in the election.
"I have taken more of an interest in it lately than I have in the past, and I have taught here for 25 years and I have lived here for 15, 17 years," Mader said. "I really, really would like to see all areas of Havre de Grace, in all its beautiful diversity, take a part in the election. I think we need some voter drives and some outreach to get everyone involved."
George Deibel, president of the city's board of elections, said everything ran "smooth as silk" and he was pleased to see about 18 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot.
"It's been a great turnout so far," he said about half an hour before the polls closed. "It's been steady all day."