Mayor Byron Brown of Buffalo has declared victory in the 2021 mayoral election against socialist candidate India Walton.  

Brown, the incumbent mayor, campaigned for a fifth term as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary. According to WIVB, the number of write-in votes supporting Brown lead Walton’s votes by more than 10,000.  

On Tuesday night, Brown declared the victory at his campaign headquarters, saying, “The people chose four more years.” However, Walton is not giving up yet.  

RELATED: India Walton Set to Become Buffalo’s First Woman Mayor After Winning Democratic Primary 

Walton, a Democratic Socialist, had the support from key Democrat leaders like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to WIVB. She beat Brown in the primary in an upset that surprised many. Her success set up her to become the city’s first Black female mayor.  

The 38-year-old nurse and union leader was expected to win the race that had no Republican candidate, but Brown’s reemergence as a write-in candidate may have stopped her success.  

Despite Brown’s declaration of victory, it could be weeks before the Board of Elections can certify the winner in the city. Absentee votes have until Nov. 9 to arrive as and be counted as long as they were postmarked by Election Day. Additionally, the Board of Elections won’t begin examining the write-in votes until Nov. 17, with a deadline to certify the election by Nov. 27.  

Buffalo is the second-largest city in the state of New York. 47.1% of residents are white, while 36.5% are Black, 5.9% are Asian, and 12.3% are Hispanic, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.