Firefighter Randy Hoodenpyl elected to Gaston City Council with five write-in votes

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Firefighter Randy Hoodenpyl (left) was elected in a write-in race to the Gaston City Council. He's shown above with Seth Hedin, when they were named Gaston Rural Fire District's firefighters of the year in 2009.

(File Photo)

Gaston firefighter Randy Hoodenpyl was elected to one of two open seats on the Gaston City Council with a total of five write-in votes.

"That's news to me," Hoodenpyl said when reached by phone Monday, Nov. 24 at the fire station. The Washington County Elections Office certified the November election results on Nov. 24.

Hoodenpyl, 27, said he lives inside the city limits. When he heard no one had filed for office, he mentioned to a few family members that they might write in his name.

"I've grown up here and I work full-time here at the fire department," Hoodenpyl said. "I thought maybe if there was nobody running for the position, to give it a try and maybe give back a little more to the community."

Hoodenpyl was elected to Position 5 on the council, which received a total of 49 write-in votes.

Position 6 received 32 write-in votes, but no one received a plurality. Five people had two votes each, but that's not enough to win the race. It is now up to the Gaston City Council to appoint someone to the position.

Jerry Spaulding, who currently holds the Position 6 seat, was elected in an uncontested race to the Position 4 seat.

Gaston voters elected Tony Hall, who currently holds the Position 5 council seat, as their new mayor. Current Mayor Rick Lorenz did not seek re-election to his long-held seat.

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