Residents of Spandaryan, a town in Armenia’s Shirak Province, yesterday elected independent Avetik Mkhitaryan as their new mayor.

Mkhitaryan, a farmer, beat his nearest rival by a vote of 262 to 179.

Gyulvard Sahakyan, the only woman in the five person race, came in fourth with 95 votes.

756 voters out of an eligible electorate of 1,153 cast ballots.