SODAVILLE - The incoming mayor of Sodaville is a convicted felon who completed his latest period of probation as recently as July.

In the general election that ended Nov. 4, Thomas Brady Harrington, 33, who goes by the first name Brady, received 79 votes to unseat Mayor Ronda Bennett, who got 66 votes.

Harrington has a criminal history in Linn, Benton and Lane counties dating from 1995 through 2006, when he pleaded no contest in Linn County to criminal mischief and was sentenced to 18 months probation.

His past offenses include possession of meth, assault, attempt to elude police in a vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, driving under the influence, recklessly endangering, unauthorized use of a vehicle and robbery.

A Sodaville resident who didn't want to leave his name called the Democrat-Herald on Friday asking the newspaper to look into Harrington's background.

Harrington has not returned phone calls seeking information for this article.

On Tuesday, a reporter visited Sodaville, population 290, to find out more about the mayor-elect and his reasons for running for office, but none of the residents he happened to meet knew Harrington, who has an unlisted address.

It is unclear why voters voted the way they did.

City Administrator Karen Corrington said there were no debates or events held for the public to meet the candidates, and only one citizen called her prior to the election for information about the candidates.

Since the election, two citizens have asked her about having a recall, she said, but state law says a recall can't be attempted until someone has been in office six months.

The new mayor will take office on Jan. 15 at the first scheduled city council meeting of 2009.

Asked about the election outcome, a Sodaville resident who declined to give his name speculated that some voters might have believed they were voting for Harrington's father, also named Thomas.

The elder Harrington is owner of Harrington Rock Products, located just south of Sodaville on Harrington Drive. The city has often contracted with the business for infrastructure improvements.

Phone calls to the business on Tuesday were unanswered.