Early voting begins Monday for May election

Early voting is set to begin this coming week as the May 7 uniform election nears.

Early voting will be held from Monday, April 25 through Friday, April 29, and again on Monday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 3, with varying hours depending on the location.

The City of Bridge City and Bridge City Independent School District will share the Bridge City ISD Administration Building, located at 1031 W. Roundbunch Road, for early voting. Hours are 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday, April 25 through Friday, April 29; and 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 3. Election day is Saturday, May 7.

The City of Bridge City has three races on the ballot this spring. Mayor Kirk Roccaforte and Place 2 councilman Mike Reed have reached term limits and cannot seek re-election for those respective positions.

Roccaforte has chosen to file for the Place 2 seat and will be opposed by challenger Carl Harbert.

In Place 4, incumbent Eric Andrus is seeking re-election and will be opposed by candidate Phillip Todora Jr., while Place 6 councilman Danny Cole. who is also seeking re-election is opposed by a pair of former Bridge City councilmembers, Lucy Fields and Kevin Mott.

Current Place 1 councilman David Rutledge has filed for the open position of Mayor and will be unopposed.

In the Bridge City Independent School District election, Rebecca Rutledge, the Place 3 incumbent, will be opposed by Bryan Gremillion, while Place 4 incumbent, Thad Hill, will face off against challenger Bryant Champagne. In Place 5, incumbent Jerry McInnis will be opposed by candidate Brandy Slaughter.

The City of West Orange, the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District, and Orange County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2, often referred to as the West Orange Water Department, will share the Orange Public Library, 220 N. Fifth St. in Orange, as an early voting location.

Early voting is from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday, April 25; Wednesday, April 27 through Friday, April 29; and Monday, May 2. Extended hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 26 and Tuesday, May 3.

The City of Orange will only have one race on the May ballot as incumbent Mary McKenna of District 4 will be opposed by former councilmember Annette Pernell.

Incumbents Dr. Wayne Guidry, District 2, and Bill Mello, Place 5, will be unopposed.

The election for the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District will feature five candidates seeking its three at-large positions on the Board of Trustees.

Incumbents Linda Platt-Bryant is seeking re-election to the Board of Trustees and will be opposed by four new candidates, including former WO-C CISD Trustees Ricky Jacobs and Tony Dallas, as well as new candidates Demetrius Hunter and Bonnie Moses. Bryan Thomas Muhammad initially filed for re-election but withdrew following the filing deadline and prior to the withdrawal deadline in late February.

The Orange County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 will have an election for its Board of Directors this May, for the first time in many years, as incumbents Jerry Foreman and Linda Primeaux are seeking re-election and will be opposed by new candidate, Grayling Mouton.