November 8, 2011

Democrats once again swept to victory in the Charlottesville city election with the three party candidates all winning seats on the City Council.

Voters picked council newcomers Dede Smith and Kathy Galvin and awarded Satyendra Huja another term in office. Smith spoke to CBS19 about finding out she was voted on to City Council.

"I'm feeling great. It was such a wonderful race. We had seven amazing candidates for only three seats and that's what democracy is all about. It's about having a choice and the voters have spoken," said the happy candidate.

Among the four independents seeking office, longtime political activist Bob Fenwick was the top vote-getter, but he finished about 2,000 votes behind Smith, who received the least amount of votes among the Democrats.

The outcome suggests there will not be a dramatic change in the council position on any of the major issues confronting the city. Democrats have long dominated city politics with no Republicans running for Council this year, and it has been decades since an independent won a seat.

School Board candidates Colette Blount, Willa Neale, Amy Laufer and Jennifer McKeever were victorious. McKeever beat the next highest finisher, Guian McKee, by about 200 votes.

In the race for Clerk of Courts, Llezelle Dugger defeated Pam Melampy by 3,000 votes.

Votes Totals

City Council

Huja: 4,608 (24%)

Galvin: 4,601 (24%)

Smith: 4,547 (24%)

Fenwick: 2,539 (13%)

Collins: 1,477 (8%)

Williams: 994 (5%)

Bandy: 399 (2%)

School Board

Laufer: 3,993 (20%)

Neale: 3,803 (19%)

Blount: 3,050 (15%)

McKeever: 2,861 (14%)

McKee: 2,657 (13%)

Kadija: 1,964 (10%)

Latimer: 1,552 (8%)

Clerk of Court

Dugger: 4,727 (77%)

Melampy: 1,443 (23%)