The special election was to fill the Ward 2 seat left open after the death of City Council member Patricia Partlow in May. The term Jones will fill is up after the November general election, so he will have to run for reelection then. He said he is up to the task and will seek a full term.

“I’m ecstatic,” Jones said Tuesday night. “God did this, it wasn’t James. I want to thank all the voters who believed in me, who believed in what I’ve done and what I can do.”

Dean thanked everyone who took the time out to support him in the race, but said he wished for a better turnout. There are more than 1,800 registered voters who could have cast a ballot in this race, and he said he’d hoped for more than 101 of them to come out.

Dean said Wednesday he hadn’t decided yet if he’ll run again for the Ward 2 seat in November.

Jones, 61, is a Lander University graduate with a degree in business administration. In college, he pledged with Omega Psi Phi, one of the Divine Nine fraternal organizations.

The fraternity helped Jones focus on community service in the Lakelands, he said. He worked as a probation agent for five years, and now works as a workforce consultant with the state Department of Social Services. He serves on the city-county Board of Zoning Appeals, and is a member of the Lander alumni association, the chamber of commerce and has served on local nonprofit boards.

Dean, 42, is a Greenwood native who majored in funeral services at Piedmont Technical College. He’s worked at Robinson and Son Mortuary for 26 years and has also worked at Lonza for 23 years.

Dean’s godfather, the late Donald “Boot” Robinson, was the first Black representative elected to Greenwood County Council in 1977. Dean said his godfather was an inspiration when he chose to run for council, as was County Council member Edith Childs, who Dean has worked with on community service efforts. He’s also volunteered with the humane society and the former Bowers-Rodgers Children’s Home.