Ali, 40, a former banker who is now an executive at a community development organization, edged community activist David Harris to win the seat being vacated by Thomas Stith III. Stith was unsuccessful Tuesday in his bid to unseat Mayor Bill Bell.

In a tearful acceptance speech, Ali said he wants to be a part of making Durham a great city.

"I pray that I can make you proud with my service," Ali said.

Catotti and Brown were the top vote-getters, claiming 26 and 21 percent of the vote, respectively.

Catotti said she thinks voters responded to her work ethic.

"I don't do a whole lot of grandstanding," she said. "I just work hard and get it done."

Catotti, 46, made revitalizing neighborhoods the top issue in her campaign. She said Tuesday she hoped that more than half of the estimated 800 blighted homes in Durham would be demolished or refurbished in the next four years.

Brown, 63, said Durham has made progress during the four years he has served on the council, particularly on downtown revitalization and crime.

He also said voters respected the fact that he doesn't hesitate to criticize city government at times.

"They liked the idea of an in-house critic, which has been my role and will continue to be my role," Brown said.

Harris, 58, drew on his vast network of grass-roots activists with whom he has worked for decades to make a stronger showing in the general election.

He barely cracked the top six in the primary to keep his candidacy alive but got more than 12,000 votes this time -- about 1,000 fewer than Ali -- to finish fourth.

"A lot of people have done a lot of hard work," Harris said. "I really appreciate everybody who's supported me."

Candidates Laney Funderburk and Steve Monks, running on platforms of reducing crime and cutting spending, rounded out the field.

Ali is a newcomer to Durham politics and ran on his experience as a banker and now as a vice president at the nonprofit N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development, which offers training and other assistance to minority-owned businesses.

Though his campaign was generally light on specifics about how to address city problems, Ali has said his background will make him a good steward of city funds and help provide creative solutions to making city dollars go further.