Voters in Beaumont will return to the polls next week as the city’s top two mayoral candidates – current Mayor Roy West and former Mayor Robin Mouton – prepare for a decisive runoff election set for June 7.
Early voting kicks off Monday, May 27, and will run through June 3. Polls will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. On the final two days of early voting, June 2 and 3, polls will stay open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day voting June 7 will also run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters can cast their ballots at any vote center, regardless of precinct.
The runoff follows the May 4 municipal election, where Mouton edged out West with 5,559 votes (39.78%) compared to West’s 3,865 (27.65%). With neither candidate securing a majority, the race heads to a runoff – a familiar format for the two candidates.
Mouton made history in 2021 as Beaumont’s first black female mayor, narrowly defeating West in that year’s runoff with 51.84% of the vote. In a 2023 rematch, West claimed the seat, defeating Mouton with 52% of the vote.
Now, in their third consecutive face-off, voters are once again tasked with deciding who will lead the city. Historically, runoff elections in Beaumont have drawn low turnout, often between 20% and 25% of registered voters. However, early voting trends and high-profile competition are expected to push participation higher than usual this year.
Mouton, left, and West