MARTINS FERRY — Martins Ferry City Councilman Rick Rodgers will retain his 4th Ward seat after defeating his challenger during Tuesday’s primary election.

According to unofficial totals from the Belmont County Board of Elections, Rodgers received 41 votes and his challenger, Pamela Shrodes, received 20 votes. Both are Democrats.

“I am happy the voters in the 4th Ward have confidence in me, in my integrity and my accountability,” Rodgers said. “I will continue to pursue their wants and their desires. I am always open, and I listen with my ears and my heart.”

Rodgers said for his new term he would like to see Ninth Street repaved and he plans to work with council and Mayor John Davies to find grant funding to do so. He also is looking forward to pursuing a possible project involving installation of a new waterline that would reach Shadyside and Rayland. Such a line would be useful if the city needs backup on its water supply, he said.

Tuesday’s election was Shrodes’ first time running for political office.

“It was a learning experience, and I was happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Rodgers’ name will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot; he will have no one else to compete against then, he said. There was no Republican primary in the race.

Rodgers, 70, has been a member of council for the past seven years and currently serves as president pro tem. He also has served on the finance, audit, annexation, code administration and safety committees, the public relations committee and is currently the chairman of the street committee.

Rodgers works as a private health care provider and holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Ohio University. He previously worked as an educator and principal of the Roman Catholic school systems for the Diocese of Steubenville and Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.

Rodgers is a member of Project Forward, the Ohio River Valley Elks Lodge 231, the Polish National Alliance and serves as liaison to the Martins Ferry Chamber of Commerce.

Shrodes, 40, is a lifelong resident of Martins Ferry. She is a Class of 2000 graduate of Martins Ferry High School. She works for Panhandle Farmers Mutual insurance company.

The 4th Ward race was the only contested race in Belmont County. For this race, 13 people voted absentee (in-person and by mail) and 49 people voted in person on Election Day Tuesday. There are 1,113 registered voters in the 4th Ward and 152 registered Democrat voters.

The votes from this election are expected to be certified at 4 p.m. May 17 at the Belmont County Board of Elections Office in St. Clairsville.

There is one absentee vote still outstanding. It would have to be postmarked with Monday’s date and received in seven days to be counted.

Staff Writer Robert DeFrank contributed to this report.