Editor's Note: This story was updated on Wednesday afternoon to include a statement that Bruce Carter shared with The Covington News.

PORTERDALE, Ga. — In an apparent upset, Bruce Carter has secured the Post 4 seat on Porterdale’s City Council by just two votes.

Carter won the seat after receiving 73 votes, beating out incumbent Jill Minnoia, who received 71. 

"Thank you to everyone who participated in this election," Carter wrote in a statement sent to The Covington News on Wednesday. "I’m just humbled by the support of the community. Porterdale is such a special place. It has embraced our family and we hope to be worthy of the love it has shown us. God bless and keep our little Village."

Carter is the service manager of The Lofts Porterdale, a role he has held for four years. He ran a campaign on the theme “Bruce Works 4 Porterdale,” detailing an initiative dubbed “The Carter Plan,” which he describes as “a 15-point roadmap designed to make Porterdale safer, stronger and more connected.”

A political newcomer, Carter has not been shy in giving his thoughts on the current council. Along the campaign trail, he took to his Bruce Carter For Porterdale City Council page on Facebook, sharing his thoughts on the current council and how he plans to shake things up.

In his CovNews Election Questionnaire, Carter shared several of the issues he aims to tackle in office, including lowering utility costs, increasing transparency in government and supporting small businesses. 

Carter also shared his stance on growth and development, saying that it needed to be “smart.”

“I want to preserve Porterdale’s historic small-town character while supporting development that creates jobs, strengthens businesses, and improves our quality of life without pushing residents out,” Carter wrote.

Minnoia, who will be exiting the seat following her election loss, addressed her supporters on social media.

"Thank you to everyone, who believed in me and trusted in me," Minnoia wrote. "I came up just three votes short. Serving on the Porterdale City Council these past four years has made me stronger, wiser, and more confident and I am grateful for every experience and every person who has worked alongside me through this journey. I will continue to work for a better future for Porterdale and its residents."

Carter will assume office in January 2026.