The Brundidge City Council canvassed the election results on Tuesday and officially declared Chris Foster the winner of the race for District 5.

Foster was up against James Jones in the runoff race held last Tuesday. Foster received 116 votes in the runoff and Jones got 110, but seven provisional ballots were cast that left the possibility open that Jones could still win the council seat.

As it turned out, only three of the provisional ballots were acceptable and only two were cast by District 5 residents, ensuring Foster’s victory.

Both ballots cast were for Foster.

Foster learned of his win at the city council meeting.

“It was a good feeling that I had won because I did put in the work to get here,” Foster said. “It was also a relief that it was over. This election and campaign have been a long process, but I’ve enjoyed it and learned a lot about myself. I’m excited about accepting the challenge. I want to do a good job for the people of my district.”

Foster received 82 votes in the regular election and Jones got 60, but Foster did not gain a majority of the votes, forcing a runoff for the district.

In the runoff election, Jones won the majority of absentee votes, but Foster won by enough at the polls to edge jones out. Including the two provisional votes, Foster defeated Jones 118-110.

This is Foster’s first time entering the political arena. He works at First National Bank in Brundidge.

Jones offered congratulations to Foster for the victory.

““It was close, you know,” Jones said. “That gives you the idea that the people who voted made up their own mind and voted their conscience.”

Foster’s election solidifies the new Brundidge City Council. Byron Gaynor is the new District 4 Councilmember, defeating Mayor Jimmy Ramage for the seat 133-73. District 1 Councilwoman Betty Baxter, District 2 Councilman Arthur Griffin and District 3 Councilwoman Margaret Ross all return to the council after running unopposed.

Isabell Boyd defeated Cynthia Pearson at the runoff election 553-446 to become the new mayor of Brundidge.

The new mayor and council will take office at the first meeting in November.