Michael Griffin overcame a vigorous challenge by Alderman Mike Crowder to win re-election to a fifth term as mayor of Columbia on Nov. 3.

Griffin’s victory, 88-56, also unseated Crowder after eight years on the board of alderman.

Succeeding him will be Lloyd Armstrong, one-time chairman of the county school board, who was unopposed in his bid for the town’s governing body.

Sandra Owens, also unopposed, was returned to the board of aldermen for a third four-year term.

The 35.4-percent turnout (149 of 421 registered voters) was the largest since 2007 when 172 voters swept Crowder and Owens into office, unseating Cavell Ayers and Bert Davenport.

In a victory statement, Griffin thanked Columbia residents for “exercising your right to vote” and for “re-electing me as your mayor.

He added, “I will continue to work with the Board of Aldermen, staff and employees of the town to serve the town of Columbia and its citizens. Let’s all work together to keep this a great place to live, work and raise our families.”

The board of elections will open and count four provisional ballots Nov. 10, but they will not change any of the outcomes.

James Cahoon, a Columbia alderman, received one write-in vote for mayor, and Ginger Hassell got two write-in votes for alderman.

Griffin, Armstrong and Owens will take the oath of office on Dec. 7. Other aldermen, whose terms expire in 2017, are James Cahoon, Ray Marner and Midge Ogletree.