AIKEN, S.C. () – As the curtains fall on election night in Aiken, the competition for three city council positions has concluded.

Over 2,000 citizens participated in the voting process for these city council seats, with one district race proving to be particularly nail-biting.

Election officials reported a consistent voter turnout, and the process unfolded smoothly without any significant hitches.

Preliminary results indicate that Democrats maintained a narrow advantage in straight-party votes over their Republican counterparts.

District 4 witnessed the most enthusiastic voter participation in Aiken’s council elections, with upwards of a thousand votes cast. Republican Peter Messina emerged victorious, securing 66 percent of the votes.

District 5 delivered the evening’s most intense contest, as Democrat Braylen D. Waldo narrowly defeated Republican Kent Cubbage, clinching victory by a mere 12 votes, 362 to 350.

In District 6, Republican Barbara Morgan beat out Democrat Lisa Smith, earning 65.64 percent of the vote.

“I just want to bring in a solid team around me to help me get some of this stuff done — adding more people to the planning commission, starting there, to help resolve some of the issues we have and bring in some things that’ll be exciting for our district. I think they’re ready for change, and I think the message is clear tonight,” said Braylen D. Waldo, Councilman-elect for District 5.

“Braylen did a great job — he got his base out to vote. That’s how you win an election,” said Kent Cubbage, former candidate in District 5. “It was a nice, clean campaign and a good exchange of ideas. I don’t know what I would’ve done differently. I wish him well — he’s gonna be my city councilman, it looks like. So, I’ll probably be giving him a call if I have a pothole or something. Congratulations to him.”

These are the unofficial election results.

Provisional ballots and certification of those votes will take place Thursday at 9 a.m.