PASADENA >> Terry Tornek will be Pasadena’s next mayor and the second citywide elected mayor in the city’s history.

Tornek, a city councilman, received 55 percent of the votes cast in Tuesday’s runoff election. His opponent, City Councilwoman Jacque Robinson received 45 percent of the votes counted Tuesday.

Tornek began his quest to become mayor about a year ago. Mayor Bill Bogaard, who became the city’s first directly elected mayor in 1999, chose not to seek re-election this past fall.

• Photos: Pasadena election

About 900 provisional ballots remain to be counted. City Clerk Mark Jomsky said final election results will be released Friday.

“Yahoo!” Tornek said as he left City Hall, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.

Tornek and Robinson were the two top vote-getters in the March 10 primary. Six candidates competed in the primary.

As the preliminary results came in, Tornek said he was “excited” and “delighted.”

“I’m very grateful in terms of the response we appear to be getting.” Tornek said.

Tornek was the first candidate to declare his candidacy for mayor. He has been knocking on doors throughout the city for more than 18 months.

“I wouldn’t have done a single thing differently,” he said. “It was rewarding for me.”

Tornek said he wanted to knock on doors to find out what issues voters cared about.

He was first elected to the City Council in 2009 and re-elected in 2013.

He said as a city councilman he would walk the district during non-election years. He said he would continue to do that as mayor.

Two years remain on Tornek’s District 7 seat, which he will vacate once he is sworn in as mayor.

Tornek, who is a real estate developer, was the city’s planner in the 1990s. He was endorsed by the environmental advocacy group the Sierra Club. He strongly cares about land uses.

Tornek raised the most money during the campaign. Campaign finance documents show he has raised nearly $200,000 since last June. Many of his donors were from individual Pasadena residents. He also received money from real estate firms and investors.

Robinson did not return a call seeking comment after the precinct ballots were counted.

“I think I ran a great campaign,” Robinson said in an interview at City Hall after the initial vote totals were released. “We had a number of volunteers, we were knocking on doors even through 8 o’clock tonight.”

Robinson declared her candidacy for mayor in November. She gave up her seat representing District 1 in Northwest Pasadena to run for mayor. She had served two terms on the City Council and chaired the city’s Public Safety Committee.

Robinson, who worked for a union, had the backing of several employees unions and the Pasadena police officers, firefighters and teachers unions.

She works a legislative aide for Los Angeles Unified School District board member Steve Zimmer.

Robinson also had strong financial backing from unions and other elected officials throughout L.A. County.

It was a closer race for the lone City Council seat up for grabs Tuesday night. Former Fire Chief Calvin Wells faced off with candidate Tyron Hampton in the contest.

Several hundred people gathered at City Hall to watch as ballots were counted. Observers included the candidates, their families, friends and supporters. A cadre of City Hall employees opened envelopes, stacked ballots and handed them over to be counted.

Among those in attendance were City Attorney Michelle Bagneris, City Manager Michael Beck, spokesman William Boyer and City Clerk Mark Jomsky, who supervised the count. As late ballots arrived, there was revelry and clapping for the outcome of both races.

The outcome will likely affect city policy and procedures in several areas. The operations of City Hall will be under more scrutiny, Tornek promised. He said he has planned to hold several meetings with employees as a way to restore pride in the Pasadena Way.

“It’s about professionalism,” he said. “Pasadena used to be an example for the region — a model city. We need to get back to that.”