NARRAGANSETT — It was a colorful election year, one punctuated by vandalism, fisticuffs and political grudges. And in the end, voters apparently had enough.

Challengers captured four of the five seats on the Town Council yesterday, completing a sweeping change that seemed almost inevitable after recent reports of misdeeds by council members and a September primary that suggested all but one incumbent would finish out of the running.

The primary prediction was correct. Only one council incumbent — Republican Christopher Wilkens — won re-election, and he did it by finishing first.

“I think people were paying attention,” said Wilkens, known for his attention to detail and his interest in preserving the town’s character. “I like to think they appreciate the work I’ve done.”

Wilkens captured 3,712 votes, followed second-place finisher David J. Crook Sr., an independent Democrat and former council member who had 3,637 votes, according to unofficial results. Rounding out the top five were Democrat Susan Cicilline-Buonanno, with 3,347 votes; Democrat Glenna M. Hagopian, with 3,327 votes and independent Democrat Alisa Trainor Fleet, withn 3,076 votes.

Challengers Michael L. Lapisky and Douglas E. McLaughlin finished sixth and seventh, followed by three incumbents: T. Brian Handrigan, James P. Durkin and George F. Lenihan Jr., who finished last with 1,697 votes.

The fifth incumbent, Krista J. Garrett, finished 14th out of 15 candidates in the September primary.

Garrett’s fall came after Lenihan and Durkin charged that she had interfered with the appointment of new tax collector because her daughter had applied for the post.

While the tax collector issue was making headlines, Durkin and Lenihan left a council meeting at Town Hall, only to discover that their cars had been vandalized with yellow spray paint and some nasty messages.

Lenihan had already made headlines in the spring, when he was cited by the police for several incidents of after-hours activity at his restaurant, Pancho O’Malleys. The council later voted to suspend the restaurant’s liquor license for three days.

More recently, the police reported that Durkin got into a scuffle with Michael Handrigan, son of T. Brian Handrigan. Michael Handrigan was later charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor.

The grudges only seemed to continue the election neared.

Yesterday, a truck was parked on Point Judith Road with a sign that urged voters to go for anyone except Durkin.

There were also orange fliers left in the Eastward Look area, where many college students rent homes. The fliers blamed Durkin for a policy that puts orange stickers on homes deemed to be a public nuisance, when in fact the entire council voted for the policy last year.

redgar@projo.com