AIKEN --- Aiken voters re-elected two familiar faces and ushered in a new one to the city council Tuesday.

Republican Dick Dewar won the District 3 seat against independent Sam Erb.

With 40 of 43 precincts reporting, Mr. Dewar, who moved to Aiken in 2004, won the race with 1,025 votes, or 56.88 percent.

"I feel good. I worked hard and knocked on a lot of doors and met a lot of people," he said.

Mr. Dewar almost didn't have to wage a campaign for the general election.

When he won the Republican primary, ousting Councilman Don Sprawl, Mr. Dewar was to be uncontested in the general election.

Nearly two weeks after the primary, he found himself with an opponent when Mr. Erb collected enough signatures to get his name on the ballot as an independent.

"The petition process is legal in South Carolina, so I have to accept the fact that Mr. Erb was a bona fide candidate," Mr. Dewar said. "Essentially, I had to win the election twice."

Voters in District 1 decided to stick with the candidate they know, re-electing Democrat Beverly Clyburn for a seventh term.

Ms. Clyburn received 586 votes against Republican Eric Schmidt, who garnered 125 votes.

"I'm glad the citizens of Aiken have once again put their trust in me," Ms. Clyburn said Tuesday night after learning of the results.

Voters chose Mayor Fred Cavanaugh over two write-in candidates.

Dave Allen received 159 votes and Gary Allen received 48 against the mayor's 3,542.

Mr. Cavanaugh's name was forced onto the ballot for the first time in nearly a decade after the two other candidates wrote the city attorney to tell him they were running.