CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) There are over six months remaining before Jen Fleisher will, presumably, take her seat as a member of Charlottesville’s City Council.

Fleisher and mayor Juandiego Wade scored convincing wins in Tuesday’s Democratic primary and there are no Republican or independent challengers to compete with them in November.

For Fleisher, the long gap between her victory and her first day on the job is a welcome opportunity to – unofficially – get to work.

“I need that runway so I can connect with the other folks who did not rank me first, so I can understand better their needs and priorities,” Fleisher told Cville Right Now on Wednesday. “With councilors and city staff and the city partners I don’t know yet so I can understand what we can do together to start moving these initiatives forward. The priorities that we’ve laid for the residents, to get those victories on the ground the projects moving that they need to see.”

Tuesday’s results won’t be certified until mail-in and absentee ballots are counted, but Fleisher was a runaway winner, securing 50.56% of the vote, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

Wade claimed 36.05% of the vote. Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston, the odd man out in Tuesday’s ranked-choice voting, checked in with just 13.39%.

Under the system, a candidate needed over 1/3 of the vote to win a seat in the first round of the process. Both Fleisher and Wade comfortably cleared that.

“I don’t know that we thought I would get to 50%,” Fleisher said. “I was certainly hoping to get a seat, but that was a great indicator that there was a good margin and that Juandiego and I had really secured our seats.”

What about her campaign resonated with city voters?

“They responded to improving transit and transportation and mobility for all,” Fleisher said. “Also, my views on Flock (a police camera system used to identify license plates) and dismantling that. And housing. Ideas about improving housing access, inventory and affordability. I think those were the three biggest topics.”

Fleisher spent election night watching results and celebrating with her Belmont neighbors.

“I’m so grateful for that,” Fleisher said. “Not only because you need a break after campaigning. I encourage everyone to do it but it is very difficult in managing a full-time job and a family and a campaign. And rewarding. I need that runway so I can connect with the other folks who did not rank me first and I can understand better their needs and priorities. With councilors and city staff and the city partners I don’t know yet so I can understand what we can do together to start moving these initiatives forward. The priorities that we’ve laid for the residents, to get those victories on the ground the project moving that they need to see.”