The night began what one would call a typical election night at Austin City Hall. Everyone was anticipating the best, the worst and the possible.

City clerks Lucy Johnson, Cheryl Hays and Trisha Wiechmann waited for the first call of the night. Before long a couple of candidates and citizens showed up inquiring of results. It was not until a little before 9 p.m. when the first numbers were reported.

By 10:30 most of the polls had called in with the unofficial results. This year the city of Austin assigned two new polling places, one at the Austin Public Library and the Austin High School because of redistricting. "It went well. We had very little machine problems," Johnson said. Only two minor machine problems were reported. The first was a machine that needed to be unplugged and plugged back in and the other was in regard to a machine being too full and having to rearrange the ballots.

Johnson explained that ever since the city switch to optical scanners eight or 10 years ago most problems have been eliminated. "It all went very smoothly."

Colleen Satern, a judge at Ellis Middle School's polls, said that it had been very busy throughout the day, but the elections there all had gone well. Satern, who has served as a judge for about 35 years, said there was work with the extra ballots, but they were still able to take their meal breaks.

"We did run out of "I voted" stickers," Satern said. Another judge, Charles Steenblock, at the 1st Ward at the in Precinct 2, commented on the good turn out of voters.

"There were lines that had to be stirred but everyone was very cooperative," Steenblock said. Overall Johnson said the city had a good turn out at about 74 percent for an off-year election.

In the unofficial results of Tuesday's election, Bonnie Rietz defeated challenger Gary Hanson in the city mayoral seat. Rietz won with a total of 5,166 votes over 3,711 for Hanson. Rietz led in 1st

Ward, 1st and 2nd voting precincts by an average of 330 votes.

The lead was even greater in

both of the precincts in the 2nd Ward, with 856 for Rietz and 499 in the 1st precinct and in the 2nd precinct, Rietz tallied 1,162 and 639 for Hanson, giving Rietz nearly a 1,000-vote lead, which gained her a fourth term for Austin mayor in her political career. Rietz, who also served as 1st Ward council member for eight years, said she was starting to feel like one of the guys.

"It was a very good race. I am very pleased with the results. When your up for an election like this one, there is no way of predicting," Rietz said.

Hanson led in the 3rd Ward and in both 1st and 2nd precincts, receiving 84 more votes than the incumbent. The Herald was unable to reach Hanson for comments.

At Large race

Dick Chaffee, the incumbent At Large council member, lost a bid for re-election to challenger Wayne Goodnature. The race was close, with an unofficial percent result of 43.76 percent of votes for Chaffee and 49.63 percent for Goodnature. In the 1st Ward, Goodnature led in both voting precincts, winning with 1,576 votes compared to 1,429 for Chaffee. In the 2nd Ward, the race continued in closeness, with Goodnature still winning both precincts with a total of 1,623 over Chaffee's 1,465 votes. In the 3rd Ward Goodnature led with a 224 vote margin. In the overall results, for all three wards, Goodnature received 4,640 votes over 4,091 for Chaffee's.

"I'd like to congratulate Mr. Goodnature for his victory. The Austin voters have spoken. It has been a wonderful six years and I like to thank all the voters," Chaffee said.

Winning the At Large council member seat means Rietz will have to appoint a successor to fill Goodnature's unexpired term as a council member.

"It (victory) feels great. I would like to congratulate Mr. Chaffee for the tremendous job he has done in the last six years," Goodnature said.

There is a lot of respect for each other, Goodnature said, adding that there is always a lot of respect for someone who has been doing the job longer.

"I'm looking forward to taking the position and I'll do the very best job I can do," he said. Winners in Tuesday's mid-term elections take office in January 2003.

1st Ward Council

Incumbent Mickey Jorgenson took the victory over Vaughn Bothun for 1st Ward council member office on Tuesday. Her victory had a lead of nearly 1,000 votes. In the 1st voting precinct, Jorgenson received 942 votes compare to 477 for Bothun. In the 2nd precinct was Jorgenson leading with twice the number of votes.

"I am very pleased with the results," she said. "I think people just have come to know me and seen that I am an open-minded person, I am careful with our tax money and will keep working for the betterment of the community in as many positive ways as I can."

Serving her second term, the incumbent sees budget control as one of the main and continuing issues for next year. Bothun declined to comment on the race.

2nd Ward Council

In the race for 2nd Ward city council, Richard Pacholl took the victory in what it appear to be one of the closer races. Pacholl defeated challenger Jeff Kritzer with 1,564 votes, getting 47.18 percent. Kritzer lost by a few votes, receiving a 42.43 percent at 1,410 losing by a only a 154-vote differential.

In the first precinct, Pacholl got 754 votes and 534 for Kritzer. As for the 2nd Precinct, Kritzer led with 876 votes compare to Pacholl's 810.

"It was a good race, I had a good opponent," Pacholl said. After serving on the council for three terms, Pacholl lost a re-election bid to Jeanne Poppe. For the last eight years, he said he has been a spectator to city government, but an active one.

"I don't think I missed more than a half a dozen regular meetings in the last eight years," he said. Pacholl credited his successful campaign to "knocking on doors and talking to people about their concerns."

He said public safety is his personal priority for the next four years. "The safety of the city is a prime concern," he said. "I want to see if we can put on more firefighters. We also have to look into the economy and how we are attracting businesses. Maybe we have to see what we're doing wrong before we can do it right and attract new businesses that will stay here."

Pacholl said the only promise he made as a candidate was to "do the best I can and listen to the people."

"When you're a council member, you not only represent your ward, but you represent the entire city and that's what I aim to do." he said. Pacholl will be replacing Poppe, who retired from her council post.

Kritzer said that his biggest concern during the race was the name recognition. "I certainly am disappointed because I really care and have a genuine desire to help the community and I lost my opportunity to do it. I feel like I did everything that I was expected to do."

Kritzer, who moved to Austin five years ago, said that he has gotten really involved in the community in those years and says that if he feels he has the support of the community, he will run again.

Roxana Orellana can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at :mailto:roxana.orellana@austindailyherald.com