LACKSBURG — Vice Mayor Michael Sutphin won the mayor’s seat Wednesday against political newcomer Peter Macedo after the race was too close to call on election night.
Sutphin won by a razor-thin margin of just 18 votes once all mail-in and provisional ballots had been counted. A total of 11,292 votes were cast in the mayor’s race, including 164 write-ins.
Because the candidates were separated by less than 1% of the total votes, a recount can be requested. Macedo could not be reached for comment Wednesday, and it was unclear whether he plans to request a recount.
In a video posted to social media Wednesday ahead of the final tally of provisional ballots, he said, “I just wanted to thank everybody for allowing me to be one of your choices. As a candidate for mayor, I think elections are really about choices — and I was proud to be one of those out there so that you could pick and see who is going to be part of your Town Council.”
Sutphin, if the results hold, would succeed longtime Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith, who chose not to seek reelection this year.
After Wednesday’s Blacksburg Town Council meeting, Sutphin credited same-day registration by Virginia Tech student voters with helping secure his narrow victory.
“Young people are so important, especially when they come out to vote and have their voices heard. And I think we’ve seen that in this election,” he said.
Sutphin, 41, has served on the town council since his election in 2011. He first moved to Blacksburg in 2002 as a Virginia Tech student and now works as communications manager at Community Housing Partners in Christiansburg.
Macedo, 50, owns Blacksburg Bagels on Kabrich Street and has not previously held elected office.