FORT LORAMIE — Incumbent Fort Loramie Mayor Phil Eilerman was defeated in Tuesday’s election, following his filing as a write-in candidate.

His petition to be on the ballot had been rejected by the Shelby County Board of Elections earlier this year.

Two seats were open on the council. Incumbent Matt Hoying was the only candidate on the ballot. He received 511 votes, according to unofficial results from the board Wednesday, and was handily re-elected.

Eilerman was one of three write-in candidates. He received 97 votes and was bested in the race by Tim Boerger, who got 278 write-in votes.

Tim Siegel came in a distant fourth, with 18 votes.

“The system is pretty hard to figure out,” Eilerman said in trying to find a reason for his defeat. “We have an older population and this is the first time we had write-ins.”

He said he does not know if he will run again.

“I wish everybody luck,” he added.

Siegel, too, noted that the write-in system confused voters.

“I should have filed the normal way,” he said. “I want to congratulate Mr. Boerger for winning. I wish him well. Tim will do a good job.”

Siegel said that he will probably run for elected office again.

“My wife says I’m crazy, but it’s something I like to do,” he added.

Hoying and Boerger could not be reached for comment.