Maureen Fraser will be Collierville’s mayor winning decisively over Alderman Billy Patton, who conceded shortly after early voting returns were posted Tuesday night.

However, the future of the board still has some uncertainty due to a Dec. 10 runoff between Chad Lindsay and Nick Robbins the top two finishers in Position 3. The seat was held by John Worley, who did not seek reelection.

Incumbent Alderman John Stamps will remain in Position 5. He defeated Jason Lederfine. Stamps, a real estate agent, was appointed to the board in 2015 to fill Jimmy Lott’s unexpired term. He was then elected in 2016.

Fraser not only did well in early voting capturing 57.35% of the vote compared to 42.33% for Patton but held that advantage as Election Day totals began coming in at the Shelby County Election Commission.

With all of Collierville’s precincts reporting, the unofficial returns showed Fraser with 57.08% of the vote, compared to 42.56% for Patton.

Patton must resign from the board at the oath of office due to the suburb’s resign-to-run rule. The date for that ceremony is yet to be determined.

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Collierville’s outgoing Mayor Stan Joyner, who endorsed Fraser, said her win “was like a dream come true.”

“She worked really really really hard. I think she deserves all the fruits of her labor, and she’ll be a great mayor for the town of Collierville,” Joyner said. “I think we can stay on even keel and move on into the future and be as great as we ever were.”

Patton said he was disappointed, but accepts the results.

“I do accept this as the will of the people,” he said. “We have two different visions and my vision of keeping Collierville the best small town in America isn’t the vision of the average person.”

The main sticking point in the mayoral campaigns was growth in the town and what that looks like. Fraser said she wants to implement an apartment moratorium until the town updates its land use plan.

After Patton called to concede, Fraser exhaled and then let out a cheer and cried a few happy tears. The crowd around her also gleefully applauded the new mayor.

Fraser believed her long involvement in the suburb gave her the edge.

“We’ve worked together for a long time,” she said. “I told (Patton) the other day ‘We’ve been friends for a long time. We just both want to be the mayor.’”

Fraser was elected to her position 2003. Since 2006, the other aldermen have selected her as vice mayor each year. She’s a real estate agent with John Green Realtors and has been involved in a host of community organizations.

Patton has been alderman since 2010. He’s the owner of Patton Computers on Market Boulevard and the pastor of Piperton Pentecostal Church.

He will not submit his name for the vacant alderman seats, but he wants to remain involved in the town as a “sounding board” for the new board members.

“I think the new board members will have questions,” he said. “I think you can mentor from afar.”

The two aldermen pulled their petitions for mayor in June, the same day Mayor Stan Joyner announced he would not seek another term. Joyner has been the mayor since 2008.

The runoff for Position 3 is required since no candidate received more than 50%. Lindsay received 46% compared to Robbins’ 29.81%. Both are in construction. Elizabeth Parr, a local banker and the third candidate in the race, received 23.70%. Lindsay and Robbins will advance to the December runoff.

Stamps won easily over Jason Lederfine with 69.17% of ballots cast, according to unofficial results. Stamps was appointed in 2015 to fill the unexpired term of Jimmy Lott. He then won his first four-year term in 2016.

Stamps believed his record and hard work plus his team’s encouragement and support and gave him the edge.

“I’m grateful and humbled that I won and that I continue service to the town on behalf of my friends, colleagues and the citizens of Collierville,” he said.