For the first time in 34 years, a Wise won't be the mayor of Sheridan.
In a runoff race for the city's top administrative position, Cain Nattin, a 25-year-old youth pastor, easily defeated Justin Wise, 47, on Tuesday by a tally of 532 to 340.
Because the race was confined to just the city of Sheridan, the vote count was over just a few minutes after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m. A Grant County clerk's office official handed the two men the results as they stood side by side in the foyer of the Grant County Courthouse.
"Wow," said Wise as the two looked back and forth at the two-page results sheet. "You did it."
Nattin and Wise were the two left standing after the General Election when voters spread their ballots almost equally across three candidates, which included Ben Hammond, the city's fire chief. Hammond came in third to Nattin, who fell just a few votes short of Wise.
The 872 votes cast in the runoff were a little more than half of the total number cast on Nov. 8 and constituted some 28% of eligible voters.
As word spread to the 30 or so people in the courthouse, well-wishers hugged and shook hands with both men, congratulating Nattin for his victory and thanking both me on their races, which were notable for being free of any negativity.
At various times on Tuesday, while Nattin and Wise stood outside the courthouse holding signs and waving to passersby, the two stood together laughing and talking.
"I congratulated him," Wise said after the results were announced. "I was ready for him to give a speech."
"I'm excited and nervous altogether," Nattin said when asked how he was taking the news.
"I've said from the beginning, I started this in prayer, and I look forward to serving the citizens of Sheridan. I'm stunned."
Nattin gave much credit to his wife, Rachel, who is a senior law student and the person who ran his campaign.
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her," he said. "I get my best wisdom from her."
A few blocks away, shortly before polls closed, Mayor Joe Wise, 76, Justin Wise's father, was finishing up his final City Council meeting. Joe Wise, who announced earlier this year that he was not going to run for re-election, has been mayor of Sheridan since 1988, but served as the city's recorder/treasurer for 18 years before that, giving him 52 years of service to Sheridan.
Nattin will take office on Jan. 1.
Justin Wise (right) congratulates Cain Nattin on his victory Tuesday in their runoff race for Sheridan mayor. (Special to The Commercial/Ethan Tate)