At this point in his political career, Chris Jones should be an old hand when it comes to managing Election Day jitters.
But Tuesday , he was up at 4:15 a.m., mapping out a plan for visiting the village of Clemmons' five precincts, thinking of how to best use his supporters and making sure his campaign signs were in visible locations.
His work paid off. According to complete but unofficial results, Jones, 68, won his fourth term to the village council, earning 1,182 votes, the most among the six candidates vying for three seats.
"I don't know if this was any easier than it was four years ago," Jones said with a laugh.
Jones will return to the council with another veteran of Clemmons politics, Mary Cameron, who will enter her fifth term. Cameron picked up 908 votes.
Jones and Cameron will each serve four-year terms.
Challenger Jack Ingle, 62, had 810 votes, barely beating Sharon Coburn, who had 801 votes.
Because he was the lowest vote getter among the top three finishers, Ingle will serve for two years.
Incumbent Al Harbury finished with 643 votes and challenger Darrell Roark had 505 votes.
Jones said he thinks that voters respected his experience.
"Maybe they were thinking that I've been here and I have a working knowledge of what the issues are and how we can resolve them and move forward," said Jones, who is retired from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.
Clemmons is in the early stages of putting together a comprehensive plan that will touch on such issues as transportation, growth and economic development.
"The plan will have to be reviewed and prioritized and implemented and I'm hoping that people felt that I was capable of working in the regard," Jones said.
Ingle is a member of the planning board who has served as liaison to the comprehensive plan's steering committee. In his campaign, he said he wanted to see more managed growth in Clemmons. This is the first time he has held public office.
lodonnell@wsjournal.com.
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