SIOUX CITY -- True to their history, Sioux City voters ousted an incumbent and elected three challengers Tuesday to serve the next four years on the City Council.

The top vote getter, however, is not a newcomer to City Hall. Former mayor and councilman Tom Padgett earned 4,245 votes in the unofficial vote count. Voters also tapped businessman John Fitch (3,915 votes) and salesman Keith Radig (3,030 votes).

Councilman Jim Rixner (2,840 votes) came in fourth, followed by teacher Ian Rappolt (2,758 votes). Candidate David Wantland (615 votes), who had dropped out of the race, came in sixth. Write-in vote totals were not available at Journal press time.

"The vote was split because people were angry about dog ordinances and the Chamber's furious effort to make sure I didn't get re-elected," said Rixner, who was running for his second term on council.

Both he and Rappolt received endorsements from labor organizations, but Rixner said he believes a lot of people "plunked" for Rappolt "because they wanted to see the (vicious) dog ordinance changed."

Rixner supported passage of a stricter vicious dog law and endorsed the pit bull ban, defending both votes during the campaign. The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce endorsed Padgett, Fitch and Radig.

"Overall, the primary issue was not enough people voted," said Rixner, 63, executive director, Siouxland Mental Health Center.

A total of 6,369 people cast ballots, according to unofficial returns. That represented only 14.5 percent of the 43,876 registered voters. In the council race, each voter could vote for up to three candidates for the three seats.

"This is one of the lowest voter turn-outs we've had in a general city election in recent years," said Pat Gill, Woodbury County election commissioner. Gill said he could not account for the low number.

Padgett, 65, who served eight years on the council and three terms on the Sioux City Board of Education, said he thinks he can bring that experience back to the city after being off the council for eight years. He lost his re-election bid in 2001, losing to Dave Ferris, Karen Van De Steeg and incumbent Marty Dougherty.

"I'm looking forward to getting back involved again and getting prepared during the next two months," said Padgett, who is a part-time consultant. The new councilman will be sworn into office in early January.

Fitch, 55, a partner in Fitch Stoos Construction, and other businesses, said, "I think the sewage treatment plant will be the first priority. I think we have a serious problem down there. The key to economic development hinges on getting that under control."

Radig, 30, a sales associate at HOM Furniture, said he voters wanted candidates who would focus on the city council's core duties.

"My main focus will be to push for those issues I've been taking about such as infrastructure and public safety and holding the line on taxes," Radig said. "I believe the City Council got a little sidetracked on some issues in the last year."

Rappolt, 24, a teacher at Boys and Girls Home & Family Services. said, he thought the low voter turnout had an impact on his loss, predicting, "The political world has not heard the last of Ian Rappolt."

Two current councilman did not seek re-election. Both Dave Ferris and Brent Hoffman declared their intention not to run earlier this year.