Ferguson's Mayor Re-Elected In First Race Since Michael Brown's Death

Voters in Ferguson, Missouri, have re-elected the city's mayor in the first election since the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.

Mayor James Knowles won a third term in office with 57 percent of the vote, defeating city councilwoman Ella Jones.

If Jones had won, she would have been Ferguson's first black mayor.

During her campaign, Jones promised to rebuild Ferguson's trust in its leadership.

About 67 percent of the city's 21,000 residents are black.

Beyond Ferguson: 'We're Not Ready To Give Up'

Beyond Ferguson: 'We're Not Ready To Give Up'

The I Love Ferguson Committee has contributed more than $140,000 to help Ferguson businesses rebuild after protests and clashes with police.

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But when an officer shot and killed Brown in 2014, the city's government was largely white.

Since the unarmed teen's death, several of Ferguson's top officials have been replaced by black leaders, including the police chief and the city manager.

That's been encouraging for those hoping to close the racial divide between the city's residents and its leadership.

But NBC notes now that Knowles has been re-elected, people who still have doubts about if Ferguson can change "could harden their attitudes."

Still, Knowles has argued his experience as Ferguson's mayor during those tense years will help him get the city "back on the right path."