State Representative Darrio Melton has a new title this morning -- Mayor of Selma.
Last night, Melton defeated former Mayor James Perkins, Jr. in a municipal runoff election. He will take office next month.
Melton has served in the Alabama House of Representatives since 2010.
He recently released a statement saying he was honored by the support he had received during his mayoral campaign. He says Selma, the site of a violent 1965 clash during African Americans' fight for voting rights, has been a symbol of hope and hard work for the past 50 years.
A large part of Melton's campaign platform was addressing the city's current crime problem. Melton himself has been affected – he and another person was shot at in an apparent robbery attempt last month as they were leaving a community event in the city.