Joe Deets was plenty busy on Election Night.

There were a lot of people to thank.

Deets won the race for the North Ward seat on the Bainbridge Island City Council in landslide fashion, piling up 65.3 percent of the vote over fellow District 7 candidate Kevin Fetterly, who had 34.6 percent.

Taking a short break from his campaign party at a supporter’s home Tuesday, Deets was quick to push the spotlight onto those who helped him win in his first-ever shot at elected office.

The list is long; more than a hundred folks who helped his campaign in some way, shape or form, he said.

“It simply would not have happened without that support. I am so thankful for islanders; people I’ve just met, people I’ve known for a long time. I’m really thrilled.”

Deets was grateful as well to his opponent in the race. Voters should have choices, he said, and Fetterly deserves a lot of credit for running for the position.

Deets will take the oath of office at the end of the year, and the council’s freshman Class of 2018 will have two other newbies, Rasham Nassar and Matthew Tirman, joining the seven-member group in January.

People who know Deets through his work on Bainbridge, or met him on the campaign trail, already have an inkling of how he will serve the city.

“I’m going to be listening to people just like I’ve been doing with the campaign,” Deets said.

“I’m going to work really hard; I’m going to listen. I know there’s going to be a learning curve; I’m quite prepared for that,” he said.

The first vote tally on Election Night gave Deets a 1,459-vote lead over Fetterly, with a total of 4,753 ballots counted (there were eight write-in votes).

The vote count was 3,102 votes for Deets, and 1,643 votes for Fetterly.

“I’m really thrilled for this opportunity to represent the island and represent the North Ward,” Deets said. “It’s an honor to be on the council.”