DAPHNE, Ala. — It seems that a considerable number of residents do want to “Bring Back Brown” as a three-time Daphne mayor’s slogan said in his campaign materials.

Harry Brown — the Jubilee City’s mayor from 1992–2004 — received 1,426 votes to incumbent Fred Small’s 1,171, according to unofficial results posted around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Ernie Berger, the white-bearded founder of Santa-America — an organization that year-round provides Santa Claus visits to children in hospice care — received 920 votes in the 2008 municipal election, according to election official David Cohen.

Residents seemed to favor the incumbents, though for some candidates, the race is too close to call; 50 percent of votes nets an outright win.

District 2 incumbent Cathy Barnette appears to have defeated Kathy Ebbitt, 463 to 332; District 3 incumbent John Lake reportedly surpassed Pina Witherington, 353 to 72; District 4 incumbent Greg Burnam netted 252 votes to challenger Gary Reyes’ 221; District 5 incumbent Ron Scott received 206 votes to Willie Robison’s 197; and District 1’s and 7’s candidates — Bailey Yelding and August Palumbo, respectively — were unopposed and already had been appointed to another four-year term.

District 6 incumbent Eric Nager, however, was defeated by challenger Derek Boulware, 224 to 129.

At press time, more certainty was given to the mayor, District 2 and District 6 seats.

“Harry Brown and Fred Small are in a runoff,” Cohen said.

“Derek Boulware appears to have beat Eric Nager … Cathy beat Kathy.”

Cohen noted that Tuesday’s results lacked provisional balance; that is, votes cast by people of questionable qualifications are undetermined.

See more election coverage in Saturday’s Daphne Bulletin.