On Tuesday morning, there were three candidates vying to be Roanoke’s next mayor – former Roanoke Mayor Dave Bowers, Vice Mayor Joe Cobb and Councilwoman Stephanie Moon-Reynolds.
The fact that the options running to be head of Roanoke government were a former Republican mayor, an openly gay individual or a Black woman speaks to Roanoke’s diverse viewpoints.
While Americans sent a clear, definitive message on who the next President of the United States should be, less than 30 votes separate Cobb and Bowers, who both have 37.4 percent of the vote, as of press time. Reynolds garnered nearly a quarter of the vote. There are potentially 1,000 provisional ballots remaining, which could dramatically impact the race.
There were 20 voter precincts in Roanoke, and voters had until 7 p.m. to drop their ballot off. When the results started coming in, they initially mirrored a collection of polls leading up to Election Day. Until the Department of Elections certifies them, therefore the results remained unofficial at press time.
Despite coming up short, Reynolds says she is still proud of the race she ran. “When I wake up tomorrow, I know that I’ll be back in the real world, so to speak. Until December 31, I am still on council. I am still here for the people,” she told supporters Tuesday night.
During his Election Night Watch Party at Five Points Music Sanctuary, Cobb told his supporters he was confident that he would get across the finish line. “The results are too close for my liking, but I feel like the momentum is on our side. We should know the outcome soon,” he said.
If Bowers wins, he would have done so by dramatically outperforming the polls. He will also make history as the Star City’s first mayor to be elected three times non-consecutively. At Sidewinders Saloon in downtown Roanoke on Tuesday, he repeated to his supporters “Nineteen votes!”
Politics is often viewed as a blood sport, especially in the final weeks of an election cycle. As was the case with the mayoral candidates, each of the city council aspirants attempted to strengthen their voting coalition by being more present in the community. Democrats Terry McGuire and Phazhon Nash along with Republican Nick Hagen have been duly elected by voters to fill the three council seats. The latter becomes the first Republican to serve on the body in nearly two decades.
Whoever wins the race will have to be a mayor for all Roanoke residents, not just the ones who voted for him. Those who have held the position previously understand the job requires working with those you may disagree with for the best interest of the city.
