When Matt Powell stepped down in March as Cedar Park Place 1 councilman, it was with the full intention he would one day serve as mayor, he said.

Powell can breathe a sigh of relief after Cedar Park voters on May 12 overwhelmingly selected him over Eddie Hurst and Wayne Ruark. With 93.5 percent of precincts reporting, Powell captured 73.47 percent of the vote compared to 26.53 percent from the other two candidates combined, according to preliminary results.

Powell celebrated May 12 with supporters upon learning the results.

"It's a gratifying experience to have the support of so many friends, residents and local officials," he said. "I am humbled and very excited."

Once the joy of winning wears off, Powell said it will be a short transition before being sworn in May 24.

"I presume my first meeting with city staff will come Monday (May 14)," he said.

First elected to the Cedar Park City Council in 2006, Powell said he will benefit from his past relationships with city staff, council members and outgoing Mayor Bob Lemon.

Prior to the election, Powell said one of his primary points of interest if elected mayor would be to make Cedar Park more welcoming to potential new businesses.

"I think it can help build confidence for a CEO looking to move a business to Cedar Park to meet the mayor and to have the mayor tell them in no uncertain terms that we're open for business," Powell told Community Impact Newspaper in April.

Powell stepped down March 13 in concurrence with Cedar Park's resign-to-run rules. Councilman Stephen Thomas was appointed April 19 to take over Powell's remaining one-year term on the council.

He replaces Lemon, who was first elected to the council in 1995 and served four terms as councilman before taking a break. Lemon ran for mayor and won in 2005 and has served as Cedar Park's mayor ever since.

Macy Hurwitz contributed to this story.