Michelle Watkins successfully ousted incumbent Devyn Keith in Tuesday's runoff election for Huntsville City Council’s District 1 seat.
Watkins received 2,278 votes out of the 4,188 cast, compared to 1,910 for Keith. Total voter turnout was 10.94%, with 38,379 voters registered.
“This moment is not just a victory for me, but for every individual who has dared to dream beyond the constraints of the status quo,” Watkins said during her victory speech Tuesday night.
She said she felt “profound gratitude” for being the first black woman elected to the council and pledged to be a “voice for the unheard.” She also committed to “transparency, inclusivity, and accountability” and called for the community to unite.
Keith thanked those who supported him and apologized to anyone he failed as a city councilman.
“For those I’ve let down or disappointed in any way, I truly am sorry,” Keith said in a statement posted to Facebook. “...The past 8 years of service to my community have been an honor that I’ll always cherish. We accomplished so much together in such a short time. We changed the conversation about North Huntsville. We made it a place that people were excited to visit and a place people wanted to live. We decreased crime, increased property values, made new economic investments, created new homes, new roads, new grocery stores, and created an overall better quality of life. I am so proud of the work we’ve done.”
Keith said he would keep fighting for his community and encouraged his former constituents to rally around their new representative.
Keith's last year as councilman and his campaign was marred by a shoplifting scandal after he was convicted of stealing from multiple Walmarts on more than 30 occasions.
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