VALLEY GRANDE — With only one elected official seeking re-election Tuesday, the Valley Grande elected almost entirely new leadership.

During Tuesday’s municipal elections, Valley Grande elected a new mayor and council members for Place 1, Place 2 and Place 3.

In the race for mayor of Valley Grande, Wayne Labbe captured 58 percent of the vote to claim victory, while Gene Hisel had 42 percent.

Labbe said it was a good race, but he knows there are challenges ahead for himself and a mostly new council.

“I’m glad I won the race and I told my opponent we had a clean race. That’s what I was looking for and we shook hands,” Labbe said. “I think the council that was elected was a good council for the city of Valley Grande. Bottom line is we’ve got one council member in the re-election mode — she was re-elected again and that was Donna Downs. The rest of us, we’ve got a learning curve to get through here in the next six to eight weeks. We’ve got some issues that we want to take a look at and I’m just thrilled to be mayor of Valley Grande.”

Downs was the only candidate seeking re-election, and she won the race for Valley Grande Council Place 3 with 60 percent of the vote over challenger John Robinson.

Downs said she knows the race was a tough choice for the close-knit community of Valley Grande, but added it was a good race.

“It’s hard when you have people and you are trying to make a decision because out here we really are a family and it is really hard to decide who to vote for,” Downs said. “We shook hands and everything and he congratulated me and I’m hoping to work with him on some stuff. Being on the city council for eight years has a lot to say. You know what’s going on and no one else has been on the city council and I feel like that is what a lot of people looked at was me being familiar with what Valley Grande has done in the past eight years.”

Robinson said he appreciates his supporters.

“I appreciate all of the people that supported me and all the people who came out,” Robinson said.

In the race for Valley Grande Council Place 2, Ronald Sawyer won over Shaudonna Minor with 61 percent of the vote.

Sawyer could not be reached for comment.

Minor said it was a fair race.

“It was a hard-run race,” Minor said. “It was a good race run and everything is good on my end.”

As for Valley Grand Council Place 1, Tim White received 82 percent of the vote to win over Herman Williams, who had 18 percent.

White said he’s looking forward to serving on the council.

“I want to thank everybody who voted for me. I’m glad that it’s over with,” White said. “I’m glad that I won and I’m ready to get started. I’m ready to improve wherever we can and keep up the things that have already been done and are in place.”