Former Orono school board President Bob Tunheim had a strong lead Tuesday night in the mayoral race, ahead of incumbent Dennis Walsh.

was a contentious contest which attracted thousands of dollars in campaign spending. Both candidates presented themselves as leaders who would value civility, be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, and run operations better than their competitor.

Orono is home to about 8,000 people. It borders a portion of Lake Minnetonka and surrounds the town of Long Lake. The two cities are locked in a lawsuit and will face trial next year as Long Lake officials accuse Orono of trying to poach their firefighters after Orono broke away to form his own department.

The mayor presides over City Council meetings, acts as spokesperson for Orono, and can declare emergencies if necessary. The position pays $4,200 per year. Local elections have attracted many multiples of that in campaign donations.

A new political committee called Preserve Orono, which sent out mailers urging people to vote for Walsh, reported more than $55,000 in contributions this year, mainly from three people. In October, Walsh reported about $36,000 in campaign contributions, of which about $35,000 was a loan from himself. Tunheim reported about $30,000 in contributions.

Other notable West Metro runs:

Residents voted in three competitive elections for Plymouth City Council, with at least one seat guaranteed to flip.