ASHEVILLE - Political newcomer Vijay Kapoor was the story of Tuesday's City Council primary, leading a field of 12 contenders by more than 1,500 votes, according to unofficial results.

Voters came out in higher than typical numbers for a municipal primary with 16.5 percent of registered Asheville voters voting early or participating on election day. That compares to 12.8 percent in 2015.

Kapoor, who celebrated with supporters at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack in Arden, said his efforts to be more than just a South Asheville candidate and to talk about broad city issues paid off.

“We felt that we need to be competitive in every part of the city,” he said. That turned out to be the case, plus Kapoor said there was “a huge turnout in the south” of the city.

On the other end of the ballot, the battle for sixth place — the final spot in the Nov. 7 general election — saw newcomer Kim Roney of West Asheville edge incumbent Cecil Bothwell.

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In the mayor's race, Esther Manheimer dominated the three-way contest, taking 77 percent of the vote and setting up general election competition with candidate Martin Ramsey, a socialist who has focused on wages and housing issues.

Candidates making the primary cut for the general election were: Kapoor, Sheneika Smith, Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler, Dee Williams, Rich Lee and Roney. The winning slate features two African-American candidates and an Asian-American.

Those candidates falling outside of the top six spots were: Bothwell, Jeremy Goldstein, Adrian Vassallo, Pratik Bhakta, Andrew Fletcher and Jan (Howard) Kubiniec.

Bothwell, a two-term incumbent, singled out Williams as being a factor in his loss, saying she campaigned on issues outside of local government control.

"And this isn't coming from a bitter place, I accept that the people don't want me to come back. But I will do everything I can to prevent Dee from getting elected," he said.

Williams said she expected Bothwell would criticize her, but still seemed taken aback as she read his remarks. She said at first she didn't know how to address them, then said, “the gentleman must truly fear me and what I could accomplish if I were given the opportunity.

"It’s because I offer people not only hope but ability that understands practical solutions and creative ones that can be done,” she said.

Williams is one of two African-American candidates, along with Smith.

The results are unofficial until elections officials conduct the Oct. 16 canvass.

"There is a lot to be done between now and canvass day so those numbers may very well change," said Buncombe County Election Services Director Trena Parker Velez.

When a margin of victory is within 1 percent, the lower-placing candidate can request a recount, Parker Velez said.

In the case of Roney, she got 9.93 percent of the vote to Bothwell's 9.6 percent. a difference of 106 votes.

Roney said she was excited that "people showed up" for her.

"We need people to do that, especially around racial equity and social justice and the transit system."

Kapoor, who along with Bhakta was one of the first Asian-Americans to run, said he didn't have a "natural base" of supporters. So, “we’ve been working since February all over the city to get our name out."

It was necessary to develop a network of volunteers and to get to know voters all over Asheville, he said.

“I’m quite humbled by this. I didn’t expect to do as well as we did,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor said the primary was not about "wedge issues," like those dominated the 2015 race, including the fight over the fate of the city-owned Haywood Street "pit" property downtown or short-term rentals.

Instead, voters were concerned about ways the city is changing, affecting affordability, traffic and livability, he said. Kapoor came to greatest prominence in a role he played brokering a deal between residents and developer Rusty Pulliam over a planned 272-unit apartment complex on Mills Gap Road.

“This is about bigger, broader issues that are facing Asheville and the candidates that are talking about that are the ones who are doing well,” he said.

But Tuesday's strong showing is no guarantee, he said, pointing to former vice mayor Marc Hunt, who finished third in the 2015 primary only to lose in the general election.

“We’re very happy with the way we ended up tonight, but we’re taking nothing for granted,” Kapoor said.

Smith came in second behind Kapoor in the council's race, earning 4,102 votes.

Smith said she was impressed by the response to her campaign. She credited her roots as an Asheville native and grassroot-level organizing.

“I think I stuck with the values of my organization, Date My City, and just really looking to see a revival in black Asheville, and stepping up to the plate and putting myself out there as a candidate,” she said. “I think people gravitated to my message.”

She said she’ll continue to listen closely to communities through the general election.

Manheimer, who won by more than 6,700 votes, said she took the victory as an endorsement of her policies and past successes. That includes her fight to fend off the state's attempt to take over Asheville's water system.

"Hopefully it means that the voters are supportive of my ability to lead this city as their mayor and my ability to continue to do the same," she said.

Reflecting on the council primary, the mayor said she was happy to see higher turnout than in the past. "That is excellent. We need to see people engaged in the process of electing their leaders.

"Asheville is a city that is vibrant. It's dynamic. It's got a lot of issues going on that the City Council oversees. And it matters to people who their elected leaders are," Manheimer said.

In terms of endorsements, she said she would be supporting Kapoor, Wisler and Smith — the top three vote-getters.

Kapoor did a "great job" of organizing a grass roots campaign and "grabbing all corners of the city," she said.

Wisler is important to the city because of her "exact and strategic" nature and abilities gleaned as a major company CEO, she said.

Manheimer said she met with Smith more than a year ago as a community organizer. "She impressed me then and continues to." she said.