CRESTVIEW — Getting down to the wire on Election Day evening, candidates for Crestview mayor were optimistic about the outcome of the evening's ballot counting.
But in the end, it was the incumbent who triumphed.
Mayor David Cadle said he was humbled that voters should elect him to a third term as mayor of the county’s biggest city.
“I think it's a validation of the reform movement we started in the police department and improvements and efficiencies we created in other city departments,” Cadle said.
Serving as mayor, he said, “has been one of the biggest blessings of my life.”
While Cadle and his supporters gathered at Hub City Smokehouse, other candidates’ Main Street election night parties were in full swing as well.
VOTERS WANT CHANGE
"I gave it everything I had," Councilman Tom Gordon said at Desi’s Restaurant. "I've been a good steward of the resources I had. I gave it every penny and every minute."
Gordon congratulated Cadle, but noted that against the mayor’s 703 votes, he and business owners Landrum Edwards and Jeremiah Hubbard had a combined 966 votes.
“Fifty-eight percent of the people wanted change,” Gordon said. “Voters are looking for change. They want better.”
After the final results came in, Hubbard thanked his supporters gathered at Casbah Coffeeshop, before heading down the street to congratulate Cadle.
“There are greater things always waiting for us on the horizon,” Hubbard said.
IN THE FRONT ROW
Edwards held no downtown gatherings for his campaign, but observed results coming in at the Supervisor of Elections office.
"Lanny's not a party person," his wife, Voncile, said. "We're just lying low today."
“I enjoyed the campaign,” Edwards said. “I hope I got some ideas out. I love my city of Crestview and I’ll still be sitting in the front row at council meetings, making my voice heard.”
Tuesday’s final count showed 1,669, or 13.3 percent, of Crestview’s 12,574 registered voters cast ballots in the election.
“If people don’t participate in the running of the city of Crestview, if they don’t vote, how can they gripe about anything?’ Edwards said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CRESTVIEW ELECTION: Cadle elected to third term