It’s a night of relief and humble thanks for Garner Town Council incumbents Kathy Behringer and Gra Singleton.

According to the unofficial results from the Wake County Board of Elections, Behringer won the local election as the top vote getter with 1,497, nearly 30 percent, and Singleton was close behind with 1,396, 28 percent. Amaka Flynn ran in third with 809 votes for nearly 16 percent of the vote. Mona parks trailed with 600, nearly 12 percent, and Arnie Osborn had 570 votes, almost 11.5 percent of those cast. Write-in Janice Stephenson came in last with 114 votes for nearly two percent of the nearly 5,000 votes cast.

In every election except one for the past 20 years, a newcomer has unseated an incumbent.

Mayor Ronnie Williams said the Garner residents’ votes reassured him that the townspeople are happy with the current Town Council. The Council members are happy to continue serving their community.

Behringer said seeing the numbers was humbling, but she doesn’t think it will set in until tomorrow.

“I’m still pinching myself,” she said. “It makes all the hard work worth it.”

Now that Behringer knows she has been reelected, she is eager to continue projects the Council has in motion.

“I think Garner has so much potential,” she said.

As friends and family entered Singleton’s home for a celebration after the votes were tallied, orange and green signs made by his two youngest children, Harrison and Emma Grace, greeted them.

“Thank you for voting for Gra Singleton,” the signs read with images of smiling faces.

This is Singleton’s fifth win for the Town Council seat, which his wife, Tracey, said he thoroughly enjoys. Singleton and his wife were married nearly five years when he first ran for office.

“This is his town,” she said. “He loves it.”

Singleton already has a list of priorities he has in his next term, like public safety. However, he also said in the immediate future, he wants to make sure residents affected by the Raleigh sewage extension are updated on the progress of the project and find out the status of the ConAgra facility in Garner. He said a closed session is already set for the Nov. 17 Town Council meeting so ConAgra officials can discuss the future of the company’s relationship with Garner.

Both Singleton and Behringer said the campaign tired them out and they are relieved to be able to take a break.

Neither of the winners were alone in their campaigning efforts. Singleton’s oldest daughter, Rachel, a freshman at Garner Magnet High, worked at the library after school with a friend holding up signs and talking to voters about her dad.

She said it was great to be a part of the campaign and help her dad accomplish this goal.

“I know this is something he loves to do,” Rachel said.

Behringer said three of her children worked at the polls for her today.

“My family is awesome,” she said.

Her husband, Jeff, has been instrumental in making Kathy more effective in her campaigning. He has taken over many of the errands Kathy usually does and he even knocked on a few doors too.