The citizens of Newberry voted for continuity and trust in current leadership in a municipal election on Tuesday, electing a current city commissioner to become mayor, and choosing a planning and zoning board member and an incumbent for two open commission seats. 

The results as of Tuesday night are unofficial but will become official after they are audited and approved by the Newberry City Commission. 

A hotly contested mayoral race ended with an 885-788 vote in favor of current city commissioner Tim Marden, beating local real estate agent and former city commissioner Joy Glanzer. The 97-vote lead gave Marden about 52.89% of the 1,673 votes in the unofficial results. 

Marden campaigned on a platform of stability, promising to maintain Newberry’s approach to government and fiscal responsibility. 

“I’m happy with the victory,” Marden told Mainstreet in a text after the results came in. “I am happy that my campaign focusing on the positives about Newberry really shined through.” 

In a statement released Wednesday morning, Glanzer reiterated her commitment to rebuilding bridges and bringing Newberry together.

“This election proved that half of the community wanted someone other than Tim Marden’s leadership at the head,” Glanzer wrote. “My running was not for personal gain. It was for Newberry to have a choice for the first time in over a decade. I firmly believe that it is my purpose to heal this community after it has been riddled by division because of the decisions of those in power.”

For the Group 4 seat, which Marden gave up to run for mayor, current planning and zoning board member Donald Lewis Long won by a 408-vote margin over Steve Panaghi. 

The 1,018-610 vote gave a stamp of approval to Long’s campaign platform of smart growth and providing for education, as well as a commitment to helping residents feel included in decision-making. 

“I want to give a huge thanks to the city of Newberry for coming out in record… to make their voice heard,” Long told Mainstreet in a text message. “I’m grateful to be a part of helping this city move forward to a brighter future that we all can be proud of!”

Group 5 incumbent Tony Mazon, a UPS package delivery driver, kept his seat by a 634-vote margin, winning about 69% of the vote. Mazon won 1,144 votes, while challenger Rosa Marie Campbell took 510. 

The Newberry City Commission has scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for 6 p.m. on April 28, an hour before the newly elected officials will experience their first commission meeting in their new offices. 

Newberry canceled its elections in 2023 and 2024 because all incumbents were running unopposed. In 2022, one Newberry seat was contested, but incumbent Monty Farnsworth kept it by three votes. 

Voter turnout for this year’s election was far higher than the 2022 election, where only 504 people voted. This year, about 1,671 citizens turned out to vote. 

The mayoral seat alone has been held unopposed by Jordan Marlowe for eight years, but the City Commission agreed in February to make Marlowe the new city manager, leaving room for significant shifts. 

Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments from Joy Glanzer and Donald Long.