Amid cheers of “four more years,” DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow promised to stay the course after winning 64.5 percent of the mayoral vote in Tuesday’s election.

Sparrow received 2,895 votes, while challenger Adolph Miller received 1,255 votes, 7th Ward Alderman Mark Powell received 172 votes, Nick DeGraffenried received 144 and Ed Stapleton, who withdrew from the race March 21, received 25 votes. A total of 4,491 votes were cast in DeKalb.

In the closely contested race for city clerk, incumbent Marguerite Hoyt won by 140 votes over her former deputy city clerk Donna Johnson. Hoyt received 2,174 votes, compared to Johnson’s 2,034.

“I worked very hard, and it payed off,” Hoyt said. “I’m very grateful and very happy.”

Johnson congratulated Hoyt after the election. “I did the very best I could, the only way I know how to do it,” Johnson said. “I ran a good, clean campaign.”

Sparrow said winning 64.5 percent of the vote represents a mandate from the people. “When you get a vote like this, it means people want more of the same,” he said.

However, Sparrow said the 28 percent of the vote that went to Miller indicates that some people are interested in ideas that differ from Sparrow’s.

“I have an open door policy,” Sparrow said. “I stand open to listen to what people have to say.”

Concerning Powell’s tactics, Sparrow said Powell placed a blemish on the city by running a negative campaign. “The people of DeKalb repudiated his campaign. What he has done has been detrimental to the city.

“I hope he will straighten out or leave the city. That he received less than 4 percent of the vote speaks very clearly,” Sparrow said.

Powell was unavailable for comment Tuesday night prior to, during and after the race.

Powell lost the majority of votes in his own ward. In this ward, Powell received 14 votes, compared to Sparrow’s 55, Miller’s 15 and DeGraffenried’s five.

In other student-dominated wards, the majority vote went to Sparrow, who received 203 votes. In these wards, Miller received 49 votes, DeGraffenried received six votes and Stapleton received two votes.

Voting returns indicated Sparrow made a strong showing in student wards. “It points out the students realize who the better candidate is,” said Sparrow, comparing himself with Powell. “I’ve always been well-supported in student wards.”

DeGraffenried was the first candidate to concede the race at about 9:30 p.m. He was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.

At 10:20 p.m., Miller conceded the race to Sparrow. “I think I did all right. We ran a good, strong campaign,” Miller said.

“Greg and I ran clean campaigns,” Miller said. “Greg and I are still friends. The people just chose him to do the job.”

Surrounded by his wife Jenifer and sons, Thomas, 6, and Kevin, 3, Sparrow cited goals for the city. He said priorities for his next term include continued economic development, a balanced budget, improvements to streets, sewers and the stormwater system and revitalizing downtown.

He cited several other major issues facing the city, including the landfill, recycling and drug enforcement, education and rehabilitation.

Sparrow also reaffirmed a commitment to bringing a mall to DeKalb to increase the city’s tax base.

“The majority of people want to see a quality mall,” Sparrow said. “If (DeKalb) county farm land is not acceptable, we will look at other land to be sold for mall development.”

About 40 of Sparrow’s friends joined the mayor, including 1st Ward Alderman Chris Hoagland and 2nd Ward Alderman Michael Welsh.