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It ended with two more women making history. 

Christina Calarco and Rhoda Overstreet-Wilson won Auburn City Council seats Tuesday, defeating Republicans Brian Dahl and Andrea Guerrera. Calarco and Overstreet-Wilson received 2,872 and 2,500 votes, respectively. Dahl finished third with 2,265 votes, while Guerrera had 1,638 votes. 

Calarco and Overstreet-Wilson, together with Councilor Ginny Kent, will form the first majority-women council in Auburn's history. Overstreet-Wilson is also the first Black woman ever elected to the five-member council.  

The elections of Calarco and Overstreet-Wilson came four days after Ann Bunker died. Bunker was the first woman ever elected to the city council. She served two terms, from 1990 through 1997. 

When Cayuga County Democrats began their election night party at Ancient Order of the Hibernians, they held a moment of silence in honor of Bunker. 

With Democrat Jimmy Giannettino running for mayor — a race he won Tuesday — and Republican Tim Locastro not seeking reelection, there were two open city council seats on the ballot this year. 

Calarco, who has served as a Cayuga County Legislator for two years, decided to run for council. Overstreet-Wilson, a former Auburn school board member, joined the race. 

The two Democrats, both educators, made protecting Auburn's drinking water a top priority and raised other issues, such as combatting homelessness and boosting workforce development. 

Dahl, who has an emergency management background, also made water quality a priority. Guerrera did not actively campaign for a city council seat. 

Auburn voters sided with Calarco and Overstreet-Wilson, preserving the Democratic majority on council. 

Calarco thanked her family and the Democratic committee in her victory speech. 

"The first time I ran for office, I wanted to prove it to myself that I could do it," she said. "This time was for my dad. It meant the world to me to win to represent my family one more time." 

Overstreet-Wilson's celebration matched the history-making moment. She became emotional as she embraced family members who joined her at the election night party. She also hugged Calarco. 

In her remarks, she thanked God, her family and those that helped her win the election. 

"To be voted in as a representative, to speak for everybody, even those that didn't vote for me, that is dynamic," she said. "I'm honored to even be thought of in that capacity — that I'm trusted to be able to do that." 

When they are sworn into office in January, Calarco and Overstreet-Wilson will be part of a group of eight women who have served as city councilors in Auburn's 175-year history. Bunker was the first. Following her were Melina Carnicelli, who is also the only woman ever to serve as mayor, Gilda Brower, Debby McCormick, Dia Carabajal and Kent.