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With 100 percent of the precincts reporting Tuesday night, Mayor pro tem Mitch Colvin was the top vote-getter in his bid to unseat incumbent Nat Robertson, getting 5,803 votes to 4,073 for Robertson.
That was good enough for 45 percent of the total ballot,
City councilman Kirk deViere received 2,770 votes, or 21.5 percent of the total.
Quancidine Gribble, a longshot candidate, got 241 votes.
The runoff election will be held in November.
Robertson is seeking a third term as Fayetteville mayor.