Yowell holds off challenger for commissioner of revenue

In the race for commissioner of the revenue, the incumbent was the clear winner.

Terry Yowell, 43, earned 68 percent of the vote to defeat challenger Irvin Bennett Jr.

She has served in the Culpeper County Commissioner's Office for the past 12 years, and as commissioner since 2001.

Yowell celebrated her victory Tuesday night with friends, family and co-workers at the Hazel River Inn on East Davis Street.

She beamed even through the phone as the news of her win sunk in.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support and confidence in me," Yowell said when asked if she had anything to say to the voters. "I don't look at this as a job. I look at this as a privilege. I am honored and humbled at the support."

She said it was her office's consistent performance and high level of customer service that made the difference in this year's election.

"I have a terrific staff, an outstanding staff, a really good group of people," Yowell said. "And every day, we are working toward trying to find better ways of doing things, easier and quicker ways. We are just very, very serious about customer service and it shows."

The commissioner of revenue is a constitutional officer, responsible for establishing the value of property for tax purposes and applying the tax rate established by the board of supervisors.

Yowell won the race with 6,105 votes to Bennett's 2,831.
Bennett, a commercial pilot and former Culpeper County supervisor, thanked his friends, family and all the voters who supported his bid for election.

"I tried to run a positive campaign and I am not sure that generated the interest I needed in this race," he said via e-mail Tuesday night.

Bennett said he was not able to campaign as much as he would have liked because of his job with Northwest Airlines that often kept him out of the country for more than half of every month.

"As for the future, I will keep flying; not too bad a consolation," he said.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or abrophy@ starexponent.com.