RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Ringgold voters on Tuesday chose Randall Franks to sit on the City Council.

Mr. Franks takes the seat, edging Lee Tubbs by 20 votes and defeating Lamar Bryson by a wider margin, election figures show. The men were running to fill the seat vacated when former Vice Mayor Tom Clark died on March 12.

Overall, 209 voters cast ballots, including 144 advance voters, out of 1,795 registered, elections officials said.

Mr. Franks said he was "graciously thankful" the voters chose him and that he was unsure of the outcome until the results were announced.

"There was really no way to gauge aside from people telling you 'I'm going to vote for you,'" he said.

Mr. Franks, 44, now will get to see government at work from the other side of the council chamber. He had covered the council and Catoosa County Commission for the Catoosa County News for the past eight years, and he said before the election he thought that experience would give him a solid understanding of the issues facing the city.

Mr. Franks, who played Officer Randy Goode on the television series "In the Heat of the Night," said he would like to see the city promote its historic sites. He added that improved signage might lure in a tourists, who would buy from local merchants.

"The key thing that I think made the difference was taking the time to go door to door," said Mr. Franks, a Georgia State University graduate.

Mr. Tubbs was on hand at city hall Tuesday to watch the votes come in.

"The citizens of Ringgold have spoken, and I believe Randall Franks will do a good job," he said.

Overall, nearly 12 percent of registered voters cast ballots. On Monday, election officials said they expected a 25 to 30 percent turnout. At the city's last special election two years ago, about 300 voters cast ballots, officials said.

The seat will be up for grabs again in November, when Mr. Clark's term would have ended.

On Tuesday night Mr. Franks said he planned to run again then to keep the seat.