Early voting begins Monday, April 24
There are several city council and mayor races on the May 6 ballot, along with several school board races, with early voting beginning Monday, April 24.
Hardin County
Silsbee
Mayor Kevin Garner decided not to seek re-election and two candidates filed for the position – newcomer John Marble and Danny Reneau, a write-in candidate.
Sour Lake
In Sour Lake, six candidates are running for three at-large positions.
Incumbent council members Rebecca Gardiner and Johnathan Williams are seeking re-election, while council member Robin Powell did not. Challenging for the three seats are Michael Cudd, Ryan Elmore, Michael Hendrix and David Morris.
The top three vote-getters are the winners.
Kountze
After Place 5 Alderwoman Kimberly Price decided not to run, there is only one contested race. Place 3 Alderwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Mary Adams is opposed by James Shirley.
Barbara Sanders-Greer is running unopposed for the Place 5 post vacated by Price.
Rose Hill Acres
Rose Hill Acres voters will decide between Bobby Glach and Tony Baird for Position 2 alderman.
Jefferson County
Beaumont
Current Mayor Robin Mouton is facing challengers in Roy West and James Eller, with both the police and firefighter unions backing the challenger Roy West.
Taylor Neild is defending his Ward 1 seat against challenger Taher Quraishi. Mike Getz is in unopposed for Ward 2. Ward 3 Council Audwin Samuel has
drawn two challengers in Carlton Sharp and Geary Senigaur Jr.; and Charles Durio will hold the Ward 4 seat unopposed.
Five candidates have filed to fill the two At-Large seats: incumbents Randy Feldschau and A. J. Turner, challenged by Michael Cooper, Terry Roy and Biguita Hernandez-Smith.
Port Arthur
There are six council seats up for election after the city council voted earlier to rename At-Large Positions 7 and 8 to At-Large Positions 5 and 6.
For the new At-Large Position 5 seat, Councilmen Cal J. Jones (District 2) and Thomas Kinlaw III (District 3) decided to vacate their seats to run for the new positions. Joining them in the race are Matthew Christian Jr. and Allen Jacobs Jr.
For At-Large Position 6, current At-Large Position 8 Councilman Donald Ray Franks Sr. will face Chuck Vincent.
In District 1, Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Ingrid Holmes did not seek re-election. Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr. and Tierany S. DeCuir are running for her seat.
In District 2, Tiffany L. Hamilton and Armando Ruiz are challenging for the vacant post.
In District 3, four candidates are running for the vacant post – Charles Joseph, Charlie Lewis Jr., Doneane Beckcom and Wanda Lewis Bodden.
In District 4, incumbent Councilman Kenneth Marks has three opponents – Allen “Opie” Valka, Harold L. Doucet and Alicia Gayle Marshall.
Nederland
Voters will decide between three candidates – Bret Duplant, Blaine Seymour or Curtis Stratton – to fill the seat vacated by Ward 1 Councilman Talmadge Austin.
They will decide on the reauthorization of the local sales and use tax in the city of Nederland at the rate of one-quarter (1/4) of 1% to continue providing revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.
China
Matt Lopez, who previously held the At-Large 2 council seat, is running unopposed as mayor Kate Osborn decided not to seek re-election.
For the District A spot, Jesslyn Durand is unopposed, as is Whitney Gray for the District B seat. Gray previously held the At-Large 2 seat and Karon McCullough held the District B post.
In a special election for At-Large 1 and District C, Rachel Shauberger is unopposed for At-Large 1, as is incumbent Laura Zaro for District C.
Orange County
Vidor
Two current council members decided not to seek re-election in Ward 1 and 6.
In Ward 1, newcomer Mercedes Lee is unopposed for the post previously held by Kelly Carder.
In Ward 6, Councilwoman Jane Hill did not to seek re-election and voters will decide between Victoria M. Jones, Kathryn Weldon and Lisa M. Harris.
Orange
At-Large Place 6 Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Paul Burch will face Henry Junior Leger in the May election.
West Orange
Incumbent Mayor Randy Branch is unopposed, and candidates Brent Dearing and Meritta Kennedy will fill the two vacant alderperson positions.
Rose City
Mayor Bonnie Stephenson will not seek re-election and two current at-large council members will seek the seat.
Place 2 Councilman Tony Wilcoxson and Place 6 Councilman Jeff Schulze will face off. Candidates Amy Dorn and Linda Durmon are unopposed for the at-large seats.
Pinehurst
Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem J. Michael Shahan and Alderman Joey Vance are running for two of the three at-large council seats up in the election.
Action on the third council seat will be decided at a later date.
Beaumont ISD
Incumbent District 4 Trustee Kevin W. Reece is challenged by Thomas P. Sigee Sr. and Brian C. Nepveux.
For two at-large trustee seats, incumbents Robert C. Dunn Sr. and Denise Wallace-Spooner are running against Mikelle Patillo and Carl Kevin Lambeth Jt.
Vidor ISD
Three positions are on the ballot for school board. Incumbent Billy Jordan and Natalie Martinez Long, are running for the Position 4 post.
For Position 5, incumbent Brooke Hoosier Gilthorpe and Rodney White are vying for the seat.
Three candidates are running for Position 7 — incumbent Michael Helms, Bret Howard and Jeremiah Harrington.
Opposed are incumbents Gina VanDevender (Position 1) and Rollie G. Burr (Position 6).
Hardin-Jefferson ISD
Trustee Sandra Sherman did not seek her Position 1 seat and voters will decide between Joel Foxworth and Jonathan E. Haskett Jr., to fill the one year left on her term.
Port Arthur ISD
Two at-large trustee positions are up for grabs. Incumbent Trustee Kenneth Lofton Sr. is being challenged by Nina Stelly, Regina Drake and Dr. Johnny Brown for the two seats.
West Orange-Cove CISD
For two seats on the Board of Trustees, voters will decide between incumbents Tommy Wayne Wilson Sr. and Ruth Hancock, and challenger Donny Teate Jr.
West Hardin CCISD
Prop A – To authorized to issue and sell bonds of the District in the principal amount not to exceed $16 million for the purposes of designing, constructing, renovating, improving, upgrading, updating, acquiring, and equipping school facilities.
Prop B — To authorized to issue and sell bonds of the District in the principal amount not to exceed $2 million for the purposes of designing, constructing, renovating, improving, upgrading, updating, acquiring, and equipping school facilities, including adding HVAC and renovations at the Middle School P.E. teaching space/gym and locker rooms.