The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday elected Darrell O’Quinn as its new president, after a vote between the previous president, Wardine Alexander, and challenger Clinton Woods resulted in a 4-4 stalemate with Carol Clarke abstaining.

Clarke then nominated O’Quinn as a third candidate and he received four votes, which with three candidates in the running was enough to give him the nod.

O’Quinn, a veterinarian who has represented District 5 since 2017, will serve as council president through 2025. He said he was somewhat surprised how the vote worked out.

“I don’t know that I was fully prepared for this outcome,” O’Quinn said. “I was having a little difficulty concentrating after that went down. ‘Okay, what just happened?’ I have said all along I’m willing to serve in whatever capacity my colleagues want me to. Obviously, four people including myself chose to put me in that position. This is a very capable council. Any one of us could serve in this capacity.”

After O’Quinn was elected president, Alexander was then elected as president pro tem, which was previously held by Crystal Smitherman.

“This is going to be great, to work with Dr. O’Quinn, transfer whatever knowledge I have, that we can work together with that,” Alexander said.