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REIDSVILLE — Two new faces are joining the Reidsville City Council.

Voters on Tuesday elected Tom Balsley  and Richard Johnson  to the City Council. Balsley took 27  percent of the vote while Johnson received 22  percent, according to complete but unofficial results.

Six candidates sought the two at-large seats on the city council. Terresia Scoble  came in third with 16  percent of the vote, while Jeffrey Sykes  received 15  percent. Caldwell “Bubba” Hobbs III and Roger Hayes trailed with about 11  and 8  percent of the vote, respectively.

Write-in candidates received less than 1  percent of the vote.

The council candidates were concerned with the city’s youth, bringing in more recreational activities and jobs, and cleaning up the parks. 

“I’m very humbled,” said Balsley, a retired human resources manager. “I’m very appreciative of the support that I’ve gotten. I don’t take this lightly, and I really want to do a good job.”

Balsley spends much of his  time volunteering with community organizations such as Help for the Homeless and the Rockingham County Partnership for Children. He said his involvement with so many organizations may have helped his candidacy.

Balsley said he didn’t do anything extraordinary as part of his campaign. He attended public events, talked to people, and made phone calls to get the word out about himself.

 Balsley said he has no agenda other than to continue to see the city move forward.

Johnson campaigned on supporting the city’s youth.

He said he wants to work closely with the Parks and Recreation Department to mentor teens and develop more activities for them.

He is a juvenile counselor technician in Guilford County and also works with young people at his church, West End Baptist.

Johnson said he is excited about his win.

“Of course, I expected to win because you don’t run unless you expect to win, but I didn’t realize it would be by such a margin.”

Johnson said it was tenacity that got him elected. “It was the knocking on the doors,” he said. “It was the calling. It was the talking.”

He worked the precinct at Reidsville Middle School from 3 to 7:30 p.m., he said, looking every voter in the eye, shaking their hands and thanking them for coming out.

“I  touched every person that came out there. That’s what made it happen,” he said.

Johnson said Tuesday’s election was particularly sweet because his 8-year-old  daughter, Olivia,  was elected to the student council at South End Elementary School.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com