DAPHNE, Ala.—Daphne residents have spoken and it seems they don’t want to “Bring back Brown,” as incumbent Fred Small defeated his challenger Harry Brown, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s mayoral election runoff.

Small, the Jubilee City’s sitting mayor—won Tuesday’s election against Brown (mayor from 1992–2004); Small received 2,017 votes to Brown’s 1,736, according to election official David Cohen, who said the results included four provisional ballots.

The district-by-district breakdown is as follows:

Small garnered 51 absentee votes to Brown’s 47.

“It’s a lot closer than what I expected,” Small said at his campaign headquarters Tuesday evening. “Tonight, I’m gonna celebrate; tomorrow, I’m gonna take the day off.”

Then, it was back to work for Small, who plans to continue to foster a positive working relationship with the City Council, one of the cornerstones of his campaign.

He said he looks forward to his next term of office.

“I’ll be more than grateful for the next four years,” Small said.

Small’s campaign headquarters on Main Street saw joyous celebration following the victory announcement; many of his supporters—children, adults and senior citizens—crowded outside, cheering for their candidate while a live band sang “Hallelujah.”

The mood at Brown’s headquarters was expectedly different. He, too, had several supporters, though the crowd wore sullen, compassionate faces as they saw disappointment on the candidate’s face during a speech.

“I appreciate everything that everyone did,” Brown said. “It’s just not meant to be.”

A special council meeting—set for Tuesday at 11 a.m. in council chambers at City Hall—will canvass the vote.

Brown had an edge over Small in the Aug. 26 election, which included three mayoral candidates; in round one, Brown received 1,463 votes to Small’s 1,394. However, a 50 percent-plus one, or difference of at least 75 votes, is necessary for an outright win, according to Cohen. The close election required a runoff.

Ernie Berger—founder of Santa America, an organization that provides year-round Santa Claus visits to children in hospice care—had received 956 votes in the August election and was ineligible for the run-off.

In the previous election, residents also voted for city council representatives; those votes favored incumbents.

District 2 incumbent Cathy Barnette defeated Kathy Ebbitt; District 3 incumbent John Lake won over Pina Witherington; District 4 incumbent Greg Burnam defeated Gary Reyes; District 5 incumbent Ron Scott won over challenger Willie Robinson; and Districts 1 and 7 candidates—Bailey Yelding and August Palumbo—had already been appointed to another four-year term as they ran unopposed.

However, Derek Boulware defeated District 6 incumbent Eric Nager. Nager was appointed to the council after Regina Landry resigned last November.

Beginning with Jan.1, 2008, up to election day, Small received $16,541 in campaign contributions; Brown gathered $14,828, according to public documents obtained from the Baldwin County Probate Court under the Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act.

Among Small’s largest contributors were Warren and Heidi Dearmon, $3,000; the Baldwin County Association of Realtors, $1,500; and Frank Johnston, $1,000, the documents said.

Brown’s biggest supporters included the Baldwin County Association of Realtors, $1,500; Robert N. Zimmerman and Stanley M. Zimmerman, $1,000; and Charles K. Breland, $1,000, according to the reports.