BLADENBORO — Incumbent Mayor Livingston Lewis withstood a spirited campaign from a write-in candidate to win re-election for a fifth term as mayor of Bladenboro on Tuesday.

Lewis defeated Ken Chavis by an unofficial margin of 211 to 139.

Lewis said he took Chavis’ challenge seriously.

“You’re always concerned when someone is running against you, for whatever reason,” Lewis said. “I’m not really sure what his platform was, but he worked very hard, I’ll give him that.”

When asked if there were any changes on the horizon for his fifth term as mayor, Lewis said the economy will dictate what the town will be able to do.

“There are things we need to do and changes to make, but the economy often decides what small towns can accomplish,” Lewis said.

The mayor did say that he was proud of the recent “Beast Fest” event in Bladenboro, held last weekend.

“It was really a huge success,” Lewis said.

In the race for a seat on Bladenboro’s board of commissioners, Billy Ray Benson won the lone spot over two challengers.

Benson took 171 votes to outdistance both Rufus Duckworth, who had 92 votes, and Craig Lennon, who garnered 91 votes.