MARIETTA - Incumbent Anthony Coleman squeaked by to win a third term representing Ward 5 on city council.

Coleman earned 249 votes (51 percent) in the three-way race. Dodd, a former city councilman, received 177 votes (36 percent), and first-time candidate Chris Johnson garnered 66 votes (13 percent).

Turnout was 14 percent in the ward of 3,603 registered voters.

"I'm quite happy with the election," Coleman, 51, said from his victory party at the Atlanta Hilton/Marietta Conference Center. The associate pastor at Visions for Souls Church in Mableton credited his win to his mother, Juanita Carmichael.

"I got to take my hat off to my mom," he said. "She's been one of my biggest and major supporters."

During the campaign, Coleman said he wanted to push stricter code-enforcement policies. For example, he said, in citing homeowners for tall grass, the city must give at least 30 days for the issue to be resolved. Coleman thinks that should be reduced to 10 days.

He also envisions improvements on Lawrence Street, such as a new recreation center and a new swimming pool. Coleman said he believed there is an increasing need for affordable housing in the city. But he opposed the $25 million parks bond that voters approved on Tuesday.

Despite some predictions that favored Dodd, Coleman said he did not expect the race to be as close as it was. He said he did not underestimate Dodd.

"He ran a pretty good campaign this time. He worked a little harder this time," Coleman said. But, "I think voters in Ward 5 have spoken loud and clear."

Coleman bested Dodd, who was then the incumbent city councilman, in 2001. At that time, crime stemming from the Lyman Homes public housing project was a key issue, and councilman Dodd had voted to close a city street to limit drug activity in Lyman Homes. The housing project has since been demolished.

Dodd, 70, did not return several messages Tuesday night requesting comment.

Johnson, 40, said he had expected the two front-runners to end up in a runoff, and planned to support Dodd in such a race. He criticized Coleman for only visiting certain sections of Ward 5 to request placing campaign signs in yards.

"Mr. Dodd and I agree on more things, such as redevelopment," he said. "Mr. Coleman has represented portions of Ward 5 at times."

Johnson said he would consider running for public office again, depending on what kind of job the incumbent does in the next four years.