Syracuse, N.Y. -- Democrat Khalid Bey remained the winner of the Syracuse Common Council 4th District race over perennial Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins after absentee ballots were counted today, Onondaga County Elections Commissioner Ed Ryan said.
Bey wound up winning by 97 votes, 1,214 to 1,117, according to Hawkins.
On Jan. 1, Bey, 40, of 217 W. Kennedy St., will join a council with 10 Democrats and no Republicans. He will succeed incumbent Democratic Councilor Thomas Seals, who could not run for re-election because of term limits.
Bey, a former hip hop recording artist, owns a small publishing firm and has published self-help books, "The Key to Character" and "The African American Dilemma." As an author he uses the pen name Khalid El Bey.
From 2009 through early 2011, Bey worked as a Syracuse regional coordinator for the state Senate, a $38,000-a-year job.
Hawkins was running in his 19th race since 1993, including a run for governor last year that netted him 59,000 votes. He had trailed Bey by 82 votes on Election Night.
"I'm not frustrated," Hawkins said today. "Our vote keeps growing."
Hawkins said he has no specific plans to run for election in 2012.
"Every year I hope other people will step up. Finding candidates is always the problem,” Hawkins said.
Contact Mike McAndrew at [email protected] or 470-3016.