LEXINGTON — Jeff O’Brien started his Tuesday at the polls, but not to vote for himself. 

The newest member of the Lexington village council was volunteering as a poll worker in Perry Township.

“The board of elections put out a plea that they needed people to work the polls,” he said. “People just need to volunteer, it’s our civic duty.”

O’Brien, 67, ran as a challenger in this year’s Lexington village council race. He won a seat alongside incumbents Adam Gongwer, Kim Little and Todd Wise, beating out incumbent Darrell Starr-Jude.

“I’m kind of surprised actually, but I’m tickled,” he said. 

It won’t be O’Brien’s first time as an elected official. He served on the River Valley School Board and was appointed to Caledonia Village Council in his 20s. He was also elected twice to the Local 549 bargaining unit at Mansfield’s GM plant.

O’Brien worked as an electrician for GM and is the former owner of Alright Pest Solutions. He is currently retired.

Six candidates sought four seats on Lexington Village Council in Tuesday’s election. O’Brien earned 398 votes, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Board of Elections.

Gongwer earned 534 votes, followed by Little (514), Wise (500), Starr-Jude (269) and challenger Joshua Delp had 261.

“It is an honor to give back to the village and find solutions to their concerns,” Gongwer said. “I hope that the two other candidates stay connected through committees or other boards and participate in the civic arena until the next election.”

Wise and Little were not available for comment at the time of publication.