By Katie Eubanks and Haley Stoltz
David Sigler, Meghan Ferguson and Amber Ansted won three seats on Lexington City Council in Tuesday’s election. The results were complicated by the fact that Sigler was also chosen as mayor in a special election, following the unexpected death of Frank Friedman in July.
Will Kirchner had been waging a write-in campaign, but it wasn’t immediately clear how many of the 790 write-in votes cast were for him.
Sigler received 1,334 votes, followed by Ferguson with 1,204 and Ansted with 874, according to unofficial election results.
Sigler had already filed to run for another term on council before deciding to run for mayor after Friedman died. Before the election, Sigler said he would take the mayor’s office if elected for both.
It was not immediately made clear how Sigler’s vacant council seat would be filled. A telephone message left for the city attorney Tuesday night was not immediately returned.
Ferguson, 40, a coordinator for academic support services at the Virginia Military Institute, said she was honored by the results and looked forward to working with other members of the council.
“I look forward to learning more, and listening to all of our constituents, and serving in this position as a city council member,” she said.
Ansted, 37, who has helped manage a short-term rental property in Lexington and an event venue in Rockbridge County, said she looks forward to bringing a younger perspective to the council.
“I want to offer a new perspective,” she said. “I think that is something that I bring to the table as a young mother and someone from a younger generation as well.”
Kirchner, 46, said he was disappointed by the results, but remained proud of his effort to run as a write-in candidate.
“I’m proud of the work that I did while being disappointed,” said Kirchner, who owns 18 West Gallery on Washington Street.
The election fills the seats of Sigler, Nicholas Betts and Chuck Smith, whose terms expired this year. The three winners will each serve four-year terms.
During the campaign, the candidates highlighted issues that include balancing the city’s budget, maintaining aging infrastructure and preserving Lexington’s historic downtown.
Sigler was first elected to city council in 2014 and has also served on the Rockbridge Area Recreation Organization board and the boards of Main Street Lexington and the Regional Tourism Board.
Ansted supports increasing the city’s lodging tax from 8% to 10% and considering fees for private events that require street closures or additional city staff.
Ferguson was seeking her first term on council after running for school board in 2024. At the September forum, she said she wanted to help the city manage competing priorities; she cited aging infrastructure, the need for competitive wages for city and school employees, and a desire to keep taxes manageable as costs rise.
In Buena Vista, William Kerr ran unopposed for a seat on city council and won with more than 97% of the vote.