Ed Jewett had no trouble fending off two challengers for the Democratic party nomination for Richmond Circuit Court Clerk, earning 65 percent of the primary vote Tuesday.

“It feels great,” Jewett said Wednesday morning. “It’s humbling as well. It was a hot day, the last week of school, and people still bothered to come out and vote.”

Jewett, a nearly 30-year veteran of the clerk’s office, has served in the position on an interim basis since January. He had secured endorsements from many elected officials in the city, including the entire City Council and retired longtime clerk Bevill Dean. Jewett earned 2,937 out of 4,506 votes.

The two challengers put themselves forward as change candidates, charging that the clerk’s office needs a sharper focus on integrating technology. Jackson Ward attorney Melvin Todd earned 26 percent of the vote, while shipping company manager Scott Bailey came away with 9 percent. Todd said that despite his underdog status he had hoped for victory.

“I was very disappointed,” Todd says. “We put a lot of energy into it. I think we made it a race.”

While Jewett faces a November general election with no other declared candidates, he says he will continue to knock on doors.

“I think the office I’ve worked in all these years has done a good job, and the vote reflects that,” Jewett says. “It’s a good system, but that doesn’t mean we can’t tweak it and make it better.”