Evanston Mayor Lorraine H. Morton won a fourth term Tuesday, defeating Peter Godwin, her first challenger in 12 years.

Morton received 73 percent of the vote to Godwin’s 27 percent. The city’s first black mayor, Morton was first elected in 1993, defeating Ald. Ann Rainey (8th). She ran unopposed in 1997 and 2001.

About 20 Morton supporters gathered Tuesday at the Hotel Orrington. When the results came in, they clapped and sang along to Kool and the Gang’s "Celebration."

"I had hoped it would turn out like this," Morton said. "I’m delighted with some of the other races."

Godwin spent the evening awaiting results in his home with about a dozen supporters. After the polls closed, he used a laptop to check results.

Godwin was pleased with his 3,217 votes to Morton’s 8,582.

"Obviously, I’d be more pleased if I won," he said. "Voting against an institution (like Morton) is very hard."

Godwin, who served on Evanston’s ethics board, said the mayor failed to find solutions for a city plagued by inefficient government, financial deficit and costly litigation.

He campaigned last-minute Tuesday, starting at 6 a.m. at the Central Street Metra Station.

"Most people at the train station had already voted, and they voted for me," Godwin said.

Morton spent the day shaking hands and hugging voters — many of whom she knew from her days as a teacher and principal.

"I either know the kid or I know the mother or I know the grandmother," Morton said Tuesday afternoon while campaigning at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Center.

Former Ald. Steve Engelman, Morton’s campaign chairman, said she won because of her familiarity with residents and her proactive campaigning. Her campaign sent out 37,000 flyers to households, he said.

Reach Mike Cherney at [email protected] and Tina Peng at [email protected].