Erin Edgemon | eedgemon@al.com

Birmingham will soon have a new mayor after the often acrimonious race between incumbent Birmingham Mayor William Bell and his opponent Randall Woodfin ended with a resounding win for the former school board president now set to become the Magic City's youngest mayor in more than a century.

Woodfin, a relative political newcomer, led a field of 12 candidates in the Aug. 22 municipal election forcing a runoff with Bell. Bell, 68, has been involved in Birmingham politics for 40 years. He has served as mayor since 2010.

At 36, Woodfin will be the youngest Birmingham mayor since David Fox took office in 1893. He is expected to take office on Nov. 28.

Mayor elect Randall Woodfin gives victory speech Posted by The Birmingham News on Tuesday, October 3, 2017

William Bell speaks t supporters after losing mayors race Posted by Howie Koplowitz on Tuesday, October 3, 2017

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Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

Historic moment for Birmingham

Woodfin said he will begin making calls to City Council members on Wednesday and began discussing how they can work together. The mayor-elect said he will launch the Mayor's Office of Transition, the day after he is inaugurated; launch a comprehensive strategy "to clean and open up" city finances; and work to eliminate nepotism at city hall and reduce the size of the mayor's office. Those resources will be reallocated to the police department and public works.

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Mary Altaffer, Associated Press

Did Bernie Sanders help Woodfin win?

Sanders recorded a robo-call that went out Monday night, telling voters identified as loyal progressives that Woodfin would fight for "Medicare for All" and racial justice, The Washington Post reported. Two other Sanders backed candidates in other states fared well Tuesday night. State Auditor Tim Keller won 39 percent of the vote in the first round of the Albuquerque's mayoral race, 16 points ahead of his nearest Republican challenger. And in Los Angeles, Sanders campaign veteran Wendy Carrillo led in the first round of a race for an open seat in the state assembly, with 21 percent of the vote.

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Roy S. Johnson

What's being said nationally?

Woodfin's victory in the Birmingham mayor's race is capturing national attention. "Congratulations to Mayor-Elect @WoodfinForBham for running a great grassroots and winning campaign. I look forward to working with him," Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted. Here is a round-up of national news reports on the election.

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Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

Woodfin vows to create 'best team city's ever seen'

"Randall Woodfin will be Birmingham's next mayor because those citizens who cared enough to vote in yesterday's election--the embarrassingly paltry 20 percent of eligible voters--decided the very real and substantive progress the city has undergone since William A. Bell, Sr. was elected as mayor in 2010 was simply not enough to overcome the narrative the challenger artfully and effectively composed from the earliest days of his quixotic campaign: we deserve better," Roy Johnson wrote.

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Howard Koplowitz

Bell: 'Birmingham has spoken'

"The people of Birmingham have spoken. I'm good with that," Bell told a couple of reporters after giving a speech to supporters at Sky Castle in Lakeview. "When they decided 7 1/2 years ago that William Bell should be their mayor, I was good with it. And now that they've chosen someone else, I'm good with that now."

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Bob Farley

Woodfin took early, commanding lead

Birmingham Mayor (70 of 71 polling stations reporting)

William Bell: 17353 votes; 41%

Randall Woodfin: 24910 votes; 58%

*Note: one provisional ballot box not counted in each race. That will be done at a later time.

“I think this is a historic night for our city, for our community,” Woodfin said. “I think how people run campaigns is a glimpse into how they govern. We made this campaign 100 percent about the people of Birmingham, focusing on their issues, their struggles, their desires for the direction of the city.”

“I am happy for all of the people who live in our city. I am honored. “

Less than two hours after the polls closed Tuesday night, Woodfin was leading the incumbent by about 20 percent.

“It is a mandate,” he said. “People want change. I don’t think they want it for change sake. As I have always said, people want to participate in progress. We have a city full of history, but what about the present and the future as well.”

Woodfin thanked the residents of Birmingham, his family, his team, his volunteers.

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Kelsey Stein | kstein@al.com

2 council incumbents, former councilor, defeated

Two longtime Birmingham City Council members, Johnathan Austin and Kim Rafferty, lost their re-election bids while a former council member, Roderick Royal, lost in his effort to return to the dais. The three races were the only of the nine council seats up for grabs in the runoff.

In District 2, Rafferty lost 28 percent to Hunter Williams' 71 percent. District 5 incumbent Austin lost to Darrell O’Quinn 48 percent to 51 percent. Royal lost his bid to return to his District 9 seat 49 percent to 50 percent.

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School board race winners and losers

Incumbent District 4 Board of Education member Daagye Hendrix narrowly held onto her seat against former board president Edward Maddox, who was forced to step down from the board in 2012 after an ethics conviction.

In District 1 Douglas Lee Ragland, who retired after serving as superintendent of Midfield City Schools, won a seat on the board against Cedric Small, the senior pastor of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Michael “Mickey” Millsap defeated David McKinney for the District 5 seat on the school board. Millsap currently teaches entrepreneurship and innovation in the Collat School of Business at UAB.

Patricia Spigner McAdory, a retired teacher and library media specialist for Birmingham City Schools defeated Walter “Big Walt” Wilson for the District 7 board seat.

Sonja Q. Smith defeated Patricia Bozeman Henderson in the race for District 8 on the board. Smith is a project coordinator at AIDS Alabama.

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Evan Belanger | ebelanger@al.com

What can Woodfin do now?

"Congratulations Mayor-elect. Let it be a lesson not just to Bell, but to you," John Archibald wrote of Woodfin's victory. "Birmingham needs a proactive mayor, all the time. Not just before elections. It needs one who is passionate not just about holding office - it has seen too much of that - but about providing residents across 99 neighborhoods the kind of service they can be proud of."

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Tamika Moore

Final vote count for City Council, School Board races

City Council

*Note: one provisional ballot box not counted in each race. That will be done at a later time.

District 2 (15 of 16 polling stations reporting)

Kim Rafferty: 1239 votes, 28%

Hunter Williams:3097 votes, 71%

District 5 (18 of 19 polling stations reporting)

Johnathan Austin: 2271 votes; 48%

Darrell O’Quinn: 2430 votes; 51%

District 9 (16 of 17 polling stations reporting)

John Hilliard: 2712 votes; 50%

Roderick Royal: 2650 votes; 49%

Board of Education

District 1 (7 of 8 polling stations reporting)

Douglas Lee Ragland: 2319 votes; 51%

Cedric Small: 2164 votes;48%

District 4 (18 of 19 polling stations reporting)

Daagye Hendricks: 2185 votes;51%

Edward Maddox: 2080 votes; 48%

District 5 (18 of 19 polling stations reporting)

David T. McKinney: 1972 votes; 43%

Michael "Mickey" Millsap: 2570 votes; 56%

District 7 (14 of 15 polling stations reporting)

Patricia Spigner McAdory: 3055 votes; 60%

Walter "Big Walt" Wilson: 2036 votes; 39%

District 8 (12 of 13 polling stations reporting)

Patricia Bozeman Henderson: 1619 votes; 36%

Sonja Q. Smith: 2837 votes; 63%

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Congratulations for Woodfin

Though Bell has not conceded, congratulations for Woodfin are trickling in.

Congrats to @WoodfinForBham on his win to become the mayor of Birmingham. Thank you to @WilliamBellSr for your years of service to this city — Doug Jones (@DougJones) October 4, 2017

Congratulations to Birmingham’s new Mayor-elect Randall Woodfin! Praying for your success in leading Alabama’s largest city! @WoodfinForBham — Twinkle Cavanaugh (@TwinkleforAL) October 4, 2017

A historic upset for a historic city! Randall Woodfin will be Birmingham, Alabama's next mayor. Congrats @WoodfinForBham team! pic.twitter.com/60r3FMtFvr — Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) October 4, 2017

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William Bell's election night party in Lakeview starting to fill up with supporters. pic.twitter.com/yUVxxagA0B — Howard Koplowitz (@HowardKoplowitz) October 4, 2017

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Starting the night at Randall Woodfin's watch party at Haven in Lakeview. Good crowd starting to gather here. pic.twitter.com/u6hZoK5Nsi — Erin Edgemon (@eedgemon) October 4, 2017

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The earliest trickle of results in #BellvsWoodfin: @bellforbham 409, @woodfinforbham 360 — Roy S. Johnson (@roysj) October 4, 2017

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Waiting for numbers

Just arrived at Mayor Bell's election night party at Sky Castle in Lakeview. Quiet with 5 minutes until polls close pic.twitter.com/39KtQ4jska — Howard Koplowitz (@HowardKoplowitz) October 3, 2017

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30 minutes until the polls close

LIVE at Legion Field where candidates are finishing their final hour of campaigning: Posted by Lauren Walsh on Tuesday, October 3, 2017

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Anna Claire Vollers | avollers@al.com

Low turnout expected

. @JohnHMerrill on BHM runoff election turnout: “It looks like the turn out is lower again then what some might’ve hoped for.” — Lauren Walsh (@LaurenWalshTV) October 3, 2017

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This has been Bell's big selling point throughout the campaign. https://t.co/EqVBLHamnL — Gigi Douban (@gdouban) October 3, 2017

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A #bringatob Amazon pitch box outside Bell's most crucial voting precinct? That says a lot. https://t.co/zCPJi8Ea6h — Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) October 3, 2017

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AP Photo/Mike Groll, File

Bernie Sanders offers last minute support

Birmingham – today is the day. @WoodfinForBham is fighting for real progressive change. Get out the vote and make your voice heard. https://t.co/4sbeYSbkQW — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 3, 2017

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Bob Gathany/bgathany@AL.com

'Here's what to remember'

"Pay no attention to the garbage this race has become in its final days. None. It's just the men behind the curtain, all noise and glitz and special effect. Pay attention only to what you see in Birmingham. And what you know down deep," John Archibald wrote. "If you are happy with the city, if you've seen it progress and you believe Mayor William Bell has done a good job, vote for him. If you are unhappy with the city, if you feel lost or left behind or ignored and you think the mayor has done a bad job, vote against him. Simple."

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Tamika Moore

More AL.com coverage of the election

Here is a complete rundown of the mayoral race as well the races for City Council and the city's Board of Education.

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Roy S. Johnson | rjohnson@al.com

How did Woodfin make it into runoff?

Woodfin and his dozens of volunteers spent a year canvassing Birmingham's 99 neighborhoods and listening to the concerns of voters. They asked for basic services, such as road paving, street lights and sidewalk repairs and a reinvestment in libraries and city schools. "I think people are appreciative of someone actually listening to them," he said, and he doesn't think that happens too often anymore in Birmingham politics.

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Roy S. Johnson

Bell touts years of growth

If re-elected, Bell said he will continue "to build this city."

"We had boarded up buildings in downtown Birmingham (in 2010)," he said. "We had a deficit anywhere from $70 and $80 million. Our city government had a crisis of leadership. That is how I came to office is running in a special-election."

"Things are happening all over the city," he said. "All over this city you have growth and opportunity Do we still have pockets that need to be touched? Yes, we do."

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Watch Bell, Woodfin debate

Birmingham mayoral debate The Birmingham mayoral debate between William Bell and Randall Woodfin dlvr.it/Ppdbq8 PHOTOS: bit.ly/2xyirEp Posted by WVTM 13 on Thursday, September 21, 2017

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Erin Edgemon | eedgemon@al.com

Storylines to watch in BOE races

At least two-thirds of the board will be new this fall. One former board member was leading going into a runoff for his old seat that he was forced to give up after a conviction on ethics violations. And one former school official failed to gain a seat on the board that had rejected his request to become superintendent.