Editor's Note: Solano County office of Registrar of Voters reports that there are still between 35 and 45 thousand ballots not counted yet in Solano County as well as additional ballots arriving daily via mail so final outcomes could change especially in the Mayor's race considering how close Bird and Bogue votes are at this press time.

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Election night might have been a nail-biter for those watching results regularly on the Solano County website but when it concluded Wednesday morning that 100 percent of the 18 Dixon precincts had been counted, Councilman Steve Bird nudged out Mayor Thom Bogue by only 174 votes.

Bird had 2,180 votes and Bogue had 2,006. Councilman Devon Minnema followed with 1,700 votes and Ted Hickman came in last with 703. Despite numerous ways for 11,390 residents to vote on different days, times, and paths, only 6,944 chose to do so.

Mayor Thom Bogue who was running for re-election is going to "take some time to process" but offers ideas to a new council.

"The first thing that I would do is suggest to the council—whoever the new council may be--that for the next 30 days to start thinking of things of how they would like to improve our community and then, establish a goal setting session to that end--one that the public would be involved and be prepared for."

It's important to get down to the "brass tacks" of how to better the community, he said. "That would probably take more than one meeting and that would be set up as a special meeting and we may set it up as a troubleshooting circle where we get all the ideas at one time and narrow them down to our top ten and top three and top [priority.] That’s where I would begin," he said.

City Councilman Devon Minnema who also ran for Mayor celebrated his volunteers and appreciated his supporters with a socially-distanced barbecue at his campaign office in downtown Dixon Election Day evening after campaigning up to the close of polls.

"We're not sure we can expect results but we're ready if we do," said Minnema. "I'm ready to start the transition process. It's been a long, fun road and our supporters have made this entire effort possible so we're celebrating them. I cannot thank them enough.

"Regardless of the outcome, we've made history in Dixon with new campaign techniques and having the most organized youth campaign in Dixon!" he said. He also has advice for a new council. He said the council should first get meetings on track.

"It's been at least four years since meetings have been run properly according to the City Handbook," he said. "That will encourage efficiency and civic engagement at council meetings."

Bird did not return calls or emails and candidate Ted Hickman could not be reached for comment. However, Bird was quoted in the Vacaville Reporter as "feeling really good."

District 4 Council Rep Don Hendershot didn't want to take any chances to "jinx" the outcome so said he'd talk after all the votes were in and that must have worked as he was declared winner over Jerry Castañon and Logan Legg also District 4 candidates.

Winner Kevin Johnson, the only candidate for District 3 said earlier in the day that although his family would count for at least seven votes, his friends have been ribbing him about write-in votes and he had been anxious for support.

Not because of him being the sole candidate for the District, but because of several years serving on the City Planning Commission, he's ready to get into office.

"I've already started my list of things for November so I'll be ready to go once sworn in," he said. He wants to address the council--and hopefully change--the order they hear from the public.

"I consider one thing to be very important right now and that is the city council usually has a full discussion about how they feel about a certain agenda item before they hear from the public," he said. He wants to change that to the way they work on the planning commission where the public talks first.

"The biggest thing is to make a specific effort to listen to the public, hear what they have to say, and allow that to be factored into their decisions," he said. "I think the public will be really appreciative of that. That factors into my biggest goal of city council being much more of a welcoming face and I want the public to participate. Even if you disagree, you can thank them for coming in and tailor your comments...they should be able to tell by what you say that you heard them," he said.

Also not a surprise is James P. Ward, elected to be the new City Treasurer.

The swearing in of the elected officials will be at the second City Council Meeting of December which is Tuesday, December 15 at 7 pm.