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GREENSBORO — Her campaign has but a fraction of the cash her two closest opponents have raised. But this morning, Mary Rakestraw leads where it matters:

In votes.

On Tuesday, the former Guilford County commissioner placed a surprising, solid first in the race for one of three at-large seats on the City Council.

To the surprise of nobody, a pair of well-known and well-monied at-large candidates — Councilwoman Sandra Anderson Groat and former Councilman Robbie Perkins — also finished in the top three.

That's based on the complete but unofficial results of the primary election.

The three other candidates who survived the primary — Bill Knight, Kevin Green and Marikay Abuzuaiter — will have to work hard — and raise money feverishly — if they are to usurp one of the big three Nov. 6.

That's Election Day, when three of the surviving six

at-large will become council members in earnest.

In an election with voter turnout so low — 7.2 percent, according to the Guilford County Board of Elections — it's difficult to read voters' minds.

Rakestraw, 59, attributes much of her success to her position on ongoing problems within the Greensboro Police Department.

She's been critical of City Manager Mitchell Johnson, who she said mishandled the departure of former police Chief David Wray.

Wray resigned in 2006 after allegations that the department's special intelligence unit targeted black officers for unfair internal investigation. That, coupled with accusations of mismanagement, prompted Johnson to ask the city's legal office and a private consulting firm to ferret out what, if anything, ailed the department under Wray.

In September, two former members of the special intelligence unit were indicted on felony charges, culminating a yearlong investigation into alleged abuses of power.

Rakestraw — like fellow victor Knight — has made that her campaign's centerpiece, criticizing Johnson for changing the locks on Wray's office and hammering council members for not releasing more information about the controversy.

"I think the Mitchell Johnson situation is a huge issue and will continue to be," said Rakestraw, who waited for the election returns in the office of Paul Gibson, chairman of the county commissioners.

"Throwing out the same old stuff is not going to satisfy the taxpayers."

But Rakestraw starts over today with just more than $2,000 in her campaign account. Compare that to Groat's $13,000 and Perkins' $10,000.

Plus there are endorsements yet to come. Groat and Perkins historically have received nods from the Simkins PAC, which has tremendous influence among black voters.

The second-tier candidates — Knight, Green and Abuzuaiter — are political newcomers who lack name recognition and, except for Green, money. Abuzuaiter said she made it past the primary without having a fundraiser.

That might need to change, she said Tuesday night, moments after learning of her sixth-place finish.

Green, who finished fifth, talked of breaking down the vote totals precinct by precinct, trying to figure out how he can pick up the support of the thousands of voters whose candidates didn't survive Tuesday.

"There are a lot of votes out there," he said. "You have got to find out who gets those other votes."

For Green and the other top six, the second-best news of the night might have been this: There are six candidates instead of 13. That's fewer candidates speaking at forums, fewer candidates with press blurbs, fewer candidates trying to capture the voters' attention.

"Now maybe we've got a chance to separate ourselves," Green said.

Contact Margaret Moffett Banks at 373-7031 or mbanks@news-record.com