Three new members elected in Dumfries

The Dumfries Town Council will have three new members following Tuesday’s town election and the defeat of two incumbents.

Unlike the three other smaller towns in the county, Dumfries staggers the four-year terms of its six council members and its mayor.

Dumfries voters were deciding the seats of incumbents Brenda L. Via, Stephanie M. Bradley and Rafael Lopez.

Lopez did not run again. Both Via and Bradley lost their bid for re-election.

The top three votegetters were Dorothea D. Barr and Nancy H. West, with 200 votes each. Willie J. Toney garnered 188 votes to capture the third council seat, just five votes more than Bradley, who got 183 votes.

The other two candidates were Via with 113 votes and Sean Robinson with 99.

Interest in this year’s Dumfries election was high. It was the first time since 2004 that the race for the three open seats was contested, and the candidates went all out in their campaign efforts.

Toney had as many as 20 supporters — all wearing white campaign T-shirts — outside the polling place throughout the day.

“I’m in a state of shock,” Toney said after learning he had won. He also was surprised to learn that he beat out Bradley by only five votes.

“I’m thankful that all our efforts paid off and for the outpouring of support that I received,” Toney said.

Barr and West, who campaigned together, wore matching lime green shirts embroidered with flowers and their names.

Throughout the day, Barr handed out flower seed packets playing on her campaign slogan, “Sowing the seeds of change.”

“We haven’t had this kind of excitement in a long time,” said Dumfries Town Councilman Clyde Washington, whose seat was not up for a vote this year.

Barr and West both said they were shocked that Bradley lost her seat. Part of the three women’s campaigns had been their united support for Mayor Fred Yohey.

“It’s a blessing to have won, but I have mixed feelings about it because of Stephanie,” Barr said. West and Yohey agreed.

About 17 percent, or 364 of the 2,162 registered voters, turned out for Tuesday’s election.

Dumfries Town Council members make a yearly stipend of $5,642.