Grayson gets second term

Demopolis’ incumbent mayor Mike Grayson will get a second term after defeating challenger Don Singleton 1,170-866 Tuesday evening.

“It is outstanding. Not to be corny about it, the thing about this win is this was a team victory,” Grayson said, pointing to the efforts of his wife, Susan, and numerous others during the course of the campaign. “There were so many people involved, whereas in 2008, it was really primarily just Susan, myself and maybe two or three other folks. But there were a lot of people involved in this. It was a great win.”

Grayson took a 67-31 lead when absentee ballots were counted just after 7 p.m. He then moved into the backseat as Singleton outpaced him in Districts 1 and 2.

“We just ran a good race and we ran a good, clean campaign and worked hard. I have good supporters who worked hard for me and it just wasn’t in the numbers today,” Singleton, who became a staple in the gallery of Demopolis City Council meetings during the last four years, said of the loss. “We had an extremely bad turnout. And it wasn’t the weather. The people of Demopolis just don’t vote. They don’t care. And for those of us who do care, we have to pay the price. We needed changes and it didn’t happen.”

While there was no change in the office of mayor, there was a shift in Grayson’s support base in this election versus his previous win in 2008. Grayson lost District 1 by 44 votes this time around and District 2 by just 73. That marks a significant shift from 2008 where Grayson lost District 1 by 150 and District 2 by 204.

“I think people in District 1 and 2 are beginning to feel a little trust. They know that I am out ther, for them. That I am working for the city,” Grayson said. “What I say is not just campaign rhetoric, it’s what I really am. I am not a politician. I am just a regular guy, a citizen that has elected office.”

Grayson won the District 3 vote 132-111 Tuesday. He lacked the overwhelming support from those on the west side of town that he had four years ago, but still carried strong majorities in Districts 4 and 5.

Grayson won District 4 by a margin of 312-136 Tuesday whereas he took it 450-108 in 2008. Grayson’s District 5 win Tuesday was a 350-162 tally while he won that section of town 611-78 in 2008.