The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Races are beginning to take shape for the May 7 elections as the Feb. 19 filing deadline looms closer.

City of Orange

The City of Orange had no changes this past week and still has just one race currently on the May ballot.

Incumbents Mary McKenna and Bill Mello, District 4 and Place 5, respectively, have filed for re-election, as has Dr. Wayne Guidry, the incumbent in District 2. McKenna will be opposed by former councilperson Annette Pernell for the District 4 chair.

People interested in filing may contact city secretary at 409-883-1042 for more information.

City of West Orange

The City of West Orange had no changes this past week in filings for the May election, as the three incumbents - Shirley Bonnin, Dale Dardeau and Mike Shugart Sr. - remain the only candidates to file. Anyone interested in running for office may call the city secretary at 409-883-3468 for more information.

City of Pinehurst

The City of Pinehurst will have three seats open for filing this election. Seats available include the Mayor position, which is held by Pete Runnels, as well as at-large council seats held by John Zerko and Mike Anderson.

As of Tuesday, Runnels has filed for re-election as Mayor and is unopposed at this time. Anderson, who had initially filed for re-election two weeks, has withdrawn his application and will not seek re-election. Zerko has filed for re-election and is joined by former city councilman Dan Barclay thus far. Call the city secretary at 409-886-3873 for more information.

City of Bridge City

The City of Bridge City will have a big ballot this May.

Mayor Kirk Roccaforte and Place 2 councilman Mike Reed have reached their term limits and neither will be able to seek re-election for those respective position. Also open are seats in Place 4 and Place 6, which are held by Eric Andrus and Danny Cole, respectively.

Current Place 1 councilman David Rutledge has filed for the position of Mayor, while current Mayor Kirk Roccaforte has filed for the open seat in Place 2. Neither is currently opposed.

Andrus has filed for re-election to Place 4 and will be opposed by Phillip Todora Jr., Former councilmember Lucy Fields has filed for the seat in Place 6 and will now be opposed by former councilman, Kevin Motte. The Place 6 incumbent, Cole, recently filed his application to make this a three-person race.

Call the city secretary at 409-735-6801 for more information.

West Orange-Cove CISD

The West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District has three positions open on the Board of Trustees for filing this May.

At-large positions held by Bryan Thomas Muhammad, Hardy O'Neal, and Linda Platt-Bryant are available for filing. As of Tuesday, Linda Platt-Bryant has filed for re-election, and new candidate Demetrius Hunter has filed for a place on the May ballot. Call the superintendent's secretary at 409-882-5500 for more information.

LC-M CISD

Incumbents Rex Peveto and Ray Rogers, Position 6 and Position 7, respectively, of the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District's Board of Trustees have filed for re-election. Both Trustees are currently unopposed. Call 409-883-2232, Ext. 2320 for more information on this election.

Bridge City ISD

The Bridge City Independent School District will have a busy May election with all three incumbents have filed for re-election and each having an opponent.

Rebecca Rutledge, the Place 3 incumbent, will be opposed by Bryan Gremillion, while Place 4 incumbent, Thad Hill, will face off against candidate Bryant Champagne.

In Place 5, incumbent Jerry McInnis will be opposed by Brandy Slaughter, who filed for a place on the May ballot this past Monday.

Interested candidates may call 409-735-1511 for more information.

Orange County Navigation and Port District

No changes have occurred this past week with filings at the Orange County Navigation and Port District as incumbents Barbara Winfree and Jimmy Smith, Precinct 2 and Precinct 3, respectively, are unopposed in their bid for re-election.

Interested candidates may call 409-883-4363 for information.

Orange County Drainage District

Two seats for the Orange County Drainage District's Board of Directors have two positions open for filing this election period, which includes the seats occupied by J.B. Arrington, Precinct 2, and Jimmy Scales, Precinct 3. Both incumbents have filed for re-election and are currently unopposed. Call 409-745-3225 for more information on these positions.

OC WC&ID 2

Orange County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 will have an election for its Board of Directors this May as incumbents Jerry Foreman and Linda Primeaux both seek re-election and will be opposed by new candidate, Grayling Mouton, who filed for a place on the ballot on Tuesday.

Interested parties may call 409-883-4003 for more information.

Mauriceville MUD

The Mauriceville Municipal Utility District could have an election this May as two positions on its Board of Directors are open for filing, as positions held by Dennis Rountree and Jay Scheiderer are set to be on the ballot. Roundtree was appointed to the Board in October 2014 and Scheiderer was appointed in September 2015. No filings have taken place as of Tuesday. Call 409-745-4882 for info.

Early voting for the general election is from Monday, April 25 through Tuesday, May 3. Election day will be Saturday, May 7.