Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Mayor Sharon McShurley has previously served in the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. McShurley never served as provost.
Democratic mayoral candidate Dennis Tyler's campaign team turned a fundraising advantage into an Election Day victory.
Tyler, a former Muncie firefighter who went on to serve in the Indiana General Assembly, stopped Mayor Sharon McShurley's re-election bid Tuesday and became the city's first Democratic mayor in 20 years.
Tyler won with 7,820 votes to McShurley's 6,032. Along with the mayor's office, Democrats won every contested seat on the city council, resulting in a 7-2 majority on the new council.
"It's a Democratic sweep tonight," Michael Quirk, Delaware County Democratic chairman, said.
Tyler's background as a firefighter played a role in his campaign and could likely play a part in his role as mayor, said Eric Kelly, chairman of the Ball State University Senate.
"He's committed himself to hiring back firefighters," Kelly said.
In 2009, McShurley laid off 32 firefighters in an effort to save money. Kelly said he's not sure what funds Tyler will use to bring them back.
"It's unclear how he's going to pay for it," he said. "My guess is that the city council will raise taxes on Muncie and Delaware County."
Kelly, who identified himself as a Democrat, said he's not thrilled about the final polling numbers.
"I think it's better to have an independent voice," he said.
Gary Crawley, Ball State associate professor of political science, said Monday he expected McShurley to win.
"It will be close," Crawley said. "But I think McShurley will remain in office."
Kelly pinned the Democrats' wins partially on voting trends.
"The Democrats are typically good at turning out the voters," he said. "But my guess is that a lot of Republicans didn't show up today."
McShurley, who previously served in the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Ball State, said in her concession speech that it's time to look toward Muncie's future.
"We're a country where you can express your vote because so many people died for our right to do that," she said. "Our community has spoken, and they have chosen someone else to lead the community forward."
McShurley conceded the race in a tearful speech to supporters, saying her administration improved Muncie during her four years in office.
"It has been an honor to have served this community," she said. "We left it better than I found it, and it is because we had the greatest group of people to work with."
Tyler, during his speech, said he wants Republicans and Democrats to work together to improve Muncie.
"The other elected officials who just happened to not be Democrats that are Republicans sitting on city council and want to move the community forward, they can do it with me," he said. "My door will always be open ... That's how we will move Muncie forward ... One day at a time."
Tyler's supporters cheered at a watch party at the Democratic headquarters on Tuesday as new vote totals came in after the polls closed at 6 p.m.
"These past few days have been very stressful, and there's been a lot of work going into this," Quirk said.
He noted that Tyler had raised more money than McShurley, according to campaign finance reports.
Mike Whited, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1348, said Tyler's supporters chanted and waved blue towels, a reference to McShurley's Facebook page which said something along the lines that Tyler would need a towel to wipe his tears after the election.
Whited said Tyler was a change Muncie needed, something Tyler touched on during his acceptance speech.
"It means more for Muncie than for me," Tyler said. "We have been continuing to talk positively about Muncie from the beginning of our campaign to the end. It is what the community wanted to hear, and I intend to do it for them.
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