CUMMING — Christopher Light emerged from a crowded field of candidates Tuesday night to claim the Post 4 seat on the Cumming City Council.

Light, an attorney with the local firm Lipscomb, Johnson, Sleister, Dailey and Smith, received 171 votes, or about 39 percent of the total.

In Cumming elections, the top vote-getter prevails, and no runoff is necessary if the winner fails to get 50 percent of the vote plus one vote.

Former county commissioner Jack Shoemake with 121 votes, or about 28 percent, was second, followed by small business owner Avery Stone at third with 58 votes, or about 13 percent.

Rounding out the field were Dana Sexton in fourth at 43 votes, or about 10 percent, and Guy McBrayer, with 42 votes, or about 10 percent.

Light said Tuesday night that he was pleased with the victory and ready for the challenges ahead.

“It feels great. My wife and I worked hard,” he said. “We didn’t have a committee or anything, it was just us that put it all together. Had a lot of support and I can’t thank them enough.

“As exciting as it is, now it’s time to go to work. It’s time to pull your pants up and get to work for the city and do the things I’ve promised.”

Light will begin his four-year term in January. He succeeds Ralph Perry, who was first elected to the seat in 1979 and opted not to run this year, citing health concerns.

Light also will become the second person in his family holding elected office, joining his mother, Darla Sexton Light, who chairs the Forsyth County Board Education.

The nonpartisan election Tuesday, open only open to Cumming residents, was conducted citywide.

There are 1,968 registered voters in Forsyth County’s lone municipality and turnout Tuesday totaled about 22 percent, or 441.

The election featured two other seats on the five-member body — Posts 3 and 5. Post 3 incumbent Lewis Ledbetter was unopposed for the spot he has held since 1971, while Linda Ledbetter, his first cousin, won the Post 5 contest.

Post 4 runner-up Shoemake was disappointed with the outcome Tuesday, but wouldn’t rule out running again for elected office.

“Well, it’s pretty obvious [how the night went], I came in second. So things didn’t go my way, but life goes on,” Shoemake said.

“I guess my strategy was to shake as many hands and meet as many people as was possible, and I thought I had done that. But the votes just didn’t go my way.”

Small business owner Avery Stone, who came in third, said a hospital stay last month limited his campaign. He didn’t see foresee running again, though “anything can change.”

“Personally, I’m disappointed, but I did the best I could do,” Stone said. “… I didn’t get to go door to door and a lot of things I’d liked to have done, but congratulations to everybody.”

Sexton, whose husband Rupert represented Post 1 on the council from 1971 until retiring this spring, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

McBrayer said he felt the group on the city council was too tight knit.

“I just don’t think that that many relatives should be holding [office] … that’s just my opinion,” he said. “It just turned out like I figured it would.”

Lewis Ledbetter, who didn’t draw any opposition, had perhaps the least stressful evening, but said he looked forward to working with his new colleagues.

“We’ll keep the city in a steady direction forward,” Ledbetter said. “I welcome them aboard. Some of the guys have got older and needed to retire, and I just look forward to working with all the new people.”

And he added that serving with a family member would not impact his decision making.

“That will not affect the vote from either one in any way,” he said. “I’ve always voted for what’s best for the city and to keep it one direction, moving forward.”