A special election in which only 27.6 percent of city voters turned in ballots revealed five new members of the Grants Pass City Council tonight.

In one of three seats that expire in 2012, Dan DeYoung defeated Roy Lindsay in Ward 1, gaining 45.9 percent of the vote. Lindsey, who unsuccessfully ran for a city council position in 2008, earned 37 percent.

Probation officer Lily Morgan earned a Ward 2 seat that lasts through 2012, defeating Jack Greenberg, 59.2 percent to 40.1.

Greenberg said he was surprised by the margin, but was gracious in defeat.

"I thought our race would be a little bit closer than it was. Twenty percent's quite a hefty amount," Greenberg said after first seeing the results at the Josephine County Courthouse. "You know, I kind of expected the best and prepared for the worst, and I think Lily will make a great councilor and hopefully she can do some great things for the city."

In Ward 4, former City councilor Kris Woodburn was the runaway winner with 73.7 percent, and he will serve through 2012. He defeated Leah Kurz and Grant Walker.

Rick Riker edged Alan Koebrick in a Ward 2 seat that ends at end of this year by a margin of 335 votes, 53.3 to Koebrick’s 45.9 percent.

In the Ward 4 seat that ends this year, local electrician Darin Fowler edged Derek Graden and Ronald Schwartz. Fowler ended with 37.6 percent of the vote, while Graden and Schwartz each finished with just under 31 percent.

"I don't know, I'm excited, because whoever got elected, this looked like a good group of candidates," a surprised Fowler said, "who'll be able to get something done previous councils hadn't done and that's get the people's trust back and get government back on track."

The five new councilors replace those that were recalled last September.