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PARKERSBURG – Mayor Tom Joyce was re-elected handily to a third term and at least five Parkersburg City Council members look to be back with him.

With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Councilman J.R. Carpenter, a Democrat, was the only incumbent council member trailing, albeit by just three votes to independent candidate William “Zak” Huffman.

According to final, unofficial results posted by the Wood County Clerk’s office, Joyce, a Republican, received 6,678 votes to 3,945 for Democrat Sherry Dugan, his opponent in the two previous general elections.

“It’s very humbling,” Joyce said. “It’s been a privilege, and I mean that sincerely.

“I’ve got to give all the credit to the department heads,” he said of his apparently successful re-election bid. “The success that we’ve had delivering the essential services really starts with the people that I’ve been working with.”

In District 5, Huffman said he was surprised to find himself in the lead of a three-way race.

“I just wanted to make myself available to people,” he said. “It was totally unexpected.”

Huffman received 298 votes to Carpenter’s 295, while Republican Dell Pomeroy got 235.

Carpenter, who was seeking a fourth term on council, said he would just have to wait and see what happens with the canvass.

“It’s all up to the people,” he said.

Wood County Clerk Joe Gonzales said as many as 90 absentee ballots could still be counted if they were postmarked by Tuesday. It was not known which precincts they are in, nor how many, if any, provisional ballots could still impact the District 5 race.

The next closest race was in District 9, where incumbent Republican Councilwoman Cathy Dailey defeated Democrat and former Councilman Jeff Fox 794-712.

In District 4, Councilwoman Wendy Tuck, a Democrat, won re-election 386-286 over Republican Patrick McCormick.

“It feels wonderful,” Tuck said. “I still have a lot of things I wanted to do and that we are still working on.

“I will have a chance for another four years to keep making that steady progress for District 4 . I am excited.”

If the District 5 results hold, Tuck would be the only Democrat on council in the new four-year term.

“We don’t usually split along party lines,” she said.

Differences might come from issues of accountability or transparency and citizen involvement, more than some others, Tuck said.

“I think we will work well on things for the good of the city so I am excited about that,” she said.

Council President Mike Reynolds, a Republican and the longest serving member, won a sixth full term, defeating Democrat and former West Virginia House of Delegates member Brenda Brum 714-573.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl, a Republican in District 2, won a third term over Democrat Sue Ellen Waybright, by a margin of 843-385.

In District 7, Republican Councilman Chris Rexroad defeated Democrat Sonya Ashby 1,055-539 to win a second term.

Three sitting members of council decided not to seek reelection: Councilwoman Jesse Cottrille and Councilmen Bob Mercer and Zach Stanley.

Former Councilman Dave McCrady, a Republican, defeated former Councilwoman Nancy Wilcox, a Democrat, 768-313 in the race for the District 1 seat occupied by Cottrille.

In District 3, Republican Roger Brown returns to council after serving from 2013-2016 with a victory over Democrat Craig Metz by a margin of 820-300. He will succeed Mercer.

And in District 8, Stanley will be replaced by fellow Republican Andrew Borkowski who received 814 votes to Democrat Trish Prtichard’s 465.

Staff reporter Brett Dunlap contributed to this story.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com