Challenger Jannie Venter and incumbent Jean Martin went home last night with a spring in their step, both having weathered a runoff election to win their seats for Selma City Council seats Ward 8 and Ward 3 respectively.

Martin overwhelmingly beat her challenger, Felicia Owens “Dixon” for the Ward 3 seat. Martin went home with an unofficial count of 418 to Dixon’s 237 votes, or 63.8 percent of the total votes cast.

Venter beat incumbent James Durry with 386 votes to his 292, unofficially. All totals include absentee and challenge ballots.

Durry accepted the loss with grace.

“I don’t feel too bad about it,” he said. “I decided that win, lose or draw, I’ll be happy in the fact that I did as much as I could for my ward.”

Durry said he wouldn’t be running for office again.

“It’s the end of my political career,” he said. “I’m 74 years old and I don’t need any more headaches.”

Venter’s political career, however, is just beginning and she’s already started working in her ward.

“The honeymoon is over,” she told a group of supporters at the Second Baptist Church in East Selma. “I want to get people to help me get this ward cleaned up. Ward 8 is not the worst ward, it just needs attention.”

Martin, of Ward 3, was equally pleased with her win.

“I feel this was a continuation of what happened with my nephew, (Judge-Elect)

Bob Armstrong’s race,” she said. “I can’t thank him and Lorraine Capers enough for running my campaign.”

Martin’s opponent, Owens “Dixon” could not be contacted for comment as of presstime.

While the mood in City Hall was upbeat, Mayor James Perkins was ready to go to work.

“Now that the politicking is over, it’s time to govern and I’m looking forward to working with this new council,” he said.

The Selma City Council will meet at 10 a.m. today to certify the results and conduct city business. The new council’s term won’t start until October.