After months of campaigning, multiple debates and forums and more than 12,000 votes cast, the city of Muncie elected a new mayor Tuesday.
Eight years after being run by a Democrat, Muncie will see the position of mayor return to a Republican — Dan Ridenour. The last Republican Muncie elected as mayor was Sharon McShurley, who served from 2008-11.
Securing over 60 percent of the popular vote, Ridenour defeated his opponents Terry Whitt Bailey (D), with 37 percent of the vote, and Steve Smith (L), with 2 percent, according to Delaware County's election website's unofficial results.
The voter turnout this election was 26 percent, compared with the previous two mayoral elections — 9 percent in 2015 and 28 percent in 2011.
Ridenour will take office after his swearing in ceremony in January 2020 as the city’s first mayor for the new decade.
City Council elections:
Winning all the at-large seats and two out of four district races, Republicans will now hold a 5-4 majority in the City Council, with Democrats in the minority.
Democrats lost the 7-2 lead they held in the City Council since 2011, with three out of four incumbent Democrats losing their seats.
This story will be updated.
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