The lights were low and hopes were high as supporters gathered at Vaughn Goettler’s Ricardo Street home on election night.

Before the polls had even closed, the man who would become Niagara-on-the-Lake’s next lord mayor was allowing himself a little optimism.

“I think we might just be able to do this,” he said.

By night’s end, Goettler had won the three-way race with 5,101 votes — 55.1 per cent of the vote — ahead of Erwin Wiens with 2,870 and Andrea Kaiser with 1,287.

But for now, surrounded by friends and family, he was waiting for the first results.

Among those gathered were Rotary Club leaders and former lord mayor Betty Disero, one of his opponents in the 2022 election that brought Gary Zalepa to office.

Four years later, Goettler’s second bid for the job was coming down to the next few hours.

When the polls closed at 8 p.m., supporters clustered around a screen to watch the results.

The first returns gave Goettler a commanding lead. As more polls reported, the excitement in the room grew.

By the ninth poll, the math was clear: his closest rival, Wiens, could no longer catch him.

The champagne corks popped.

With supporters cheering around him, Goettler embraced his wife, Lauren.

Asked to sum up his feelings, he had three words: “absolute, total elation.”

“I am so humbled by what has happened tonight. I have so many supporters, and everybody has contributed to the success of this evening and this campaign,” he said.

He credited his campaign committee with putting in long hours, morning and night.

“I have the absolute best campaign committee that a person could want. Everybody has been spectacular. We have worked so well, so hard together, day in, day out, evenings, mornings. It doesn’t matter.”

He reserved a special thank-you for Lauren.

“And you know the other person who I have to thank — because without her, none of this would have been possible — is my beautiful wife.”

He spoke of the hours she had spent awake at night, worrying, answering emails and figuring out what needed to happen next to keep him on track.

“I’m humbled and honoured to be the next Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake.”

One supporter had a more immediate question: “Are you going to work tomorrow morning?”

“I sure am,” Goettler said.

After the sparkling wine and celebrations, he headed to the community centre to greet those who had gathered there to watch the results.

Finding it nearly empty, he changed course for the Sandtrap Pub & Grill, where he mingled with a few people before heading home.