Santa Cruz has a new Mayor and Vice Mayor: Don Lane and Hilary Bryant

In a vote that was almost as fast as a blink of an eye, Don Lane and Hilary Bryant were elected as mayor and vice mayor Tuesday.

The Santa Cruz City Council chooses the highest offices from among its councilmembers. Outgoing Ryan Coonerty was mayor the past year and also in 2008. He has been on the council for seven years.

Don Lane, 55, is a UCSC graduate who started the Saturn Cafe.

He served on the City Water Commission and the City Public Works Commission and was elected to the city council in 1988, also serving as mayor in the course of that term.

He left politics to work for several nonprofits, including the Homeless Community Resource Center and Youth Opportunities, a job training program for disadvantaged teens.

He returned again to the city council in 2008 and has been vice mayor.

Hilary Bryant, received a degree in biology from UCSC in 1994 and began her career as a real estate agent. She's also runs a pet hospital, Westside Animal Hospital, since 1999 with her husband, David Shuman.

She was elected to the council in 2010 with the biggest campaign war chest of donations in the race, $40,000. A two-time All American water polo player in college, she launched fundraising projects to help save the Santa Cruz Beach Flats Community Center. She has also helped in fundraising for Rotary Club charities.