POST FALLS - Betty Ann Henderson rode name recognition to victory, retaining her Post Falls City Council seat No. 4 on Tuesday.

Alan Wolfe won the four-way race for seat No. 2 currently held by Ron Jacobson, who ran for mayor.

Henderson, 81, a retired Realtor who formerly owned a home management corporation, retained her seat with 982 votes (46 percent).

Henderson, wife of Frank Henderson the state legislator and former Post Falls mayor and Kootenai County commissioner, thought she'd have a great chance of being re-elected due to name recognition and her service on the council.

"I was confident that I'd win the race, but you never want to assume anything," she said.

Henderson said she believes she is one of the most conservative members of the council and she believes that attribute helped her get re-elected. She turned down an endorsement by the Reagan Republicans because she wanted to keep it a non-partisan election.

Challenger Christi Fleischman, who co-owns Knock Marketing and Design, had 595 votes. The other challenger, Jayson Cornwell, a corrections officer with Spokane County Detention Services, had 565 votes.

Henderson said she admired both Fleischman, 38, and Cornwell, 28, for running.

"I give them a lot of credit," she said. "It's not easy to campaign for the first time."

Henderson said many people have thanked both her and Frank for continuing to serve in government well into retirement.

"We just keep serving and serving," she said. "When anyone tells me that they're tired of sitting around the house, I tell them, 'Well, get out and volunteer.'"

In the race for seat No. 2, Wolfe, a regional director for Spokane Teachers Credit Union, won with 735 votes (34 percent).

Wolfe was out of the area on Tuesday and unavailable for comment.

Barry Rubin, who is retired after jobs as a Navy officer, credit manager and auditor, finished second with 542 votes.

Joe Bodman, a deputy for the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, was third with 454.

Jim Hail, the accounts receivable and customer relations manager for Hagadone Directories, Inc., had 431.

Rubin, who was endorsed by the Reagan Republicans, said that support gave him a chance because Wolfe and Hail currently serve on city commissions and Bodman is a former city council member.

"The race was professional and not about personalities," Rubin said at a party at Red Lion Templin's Hotel.

In an uncontested race, Linda Wilhelm took all 1,885 votes for seat No. 6.