May 7 election busiest in Bridge City

Dave Rogers, For the Record | Last updated Apr 05, 2022 8:34pm0

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Thursday, April 7 is the final day to register to vote in the May 7 local and Texas constitutional amendment election.

A dozen city council, school board and county district board seats in Orange County have drawn multiple candidates and the Bridge City ISD is holding elections for two school construction bonds.

The constitutional amendment election offers voters a chance to increase homestead tax exemptions in school districts.

Early voting is from April 25 through May 3 and Orange County voters may cast their votes early at any one of four locations:

Orange Public Library, 220 N. 5th St; Mauriceville Community Center, 7441 Cohenour Road; Bridge City ISD Administration Building, 1031 W. Roundbunch Road; and Raymond Gould Community Center, 385 Claiborne Road in Vidor.

Election Day voting on Saturday, May 7, will be at the polling box listed on voters' registration cards.

Bridge City will offer the most decisions for the election with three city council seats and one school board seat on the ballot along with the two-part bond election.

For the Bridge City city council Place 2, incumbent Mike Reed will take on former councilman Carl Harbert, who was defeated for re-election for a different seat a year ago.

Place 4 features a choice between former BCISD board member Patty Collins and community activist Kenneth Prosperie while Place 6 candidates are retired BCISD employee Sherby Dixon and Michael Boyd, a retired operator at ExxonMobil.

For the school board, Peggy Prosperie is running against current board president Rebecca Rutledge.

Both Prosperies are campaigning against the BCISD school bonds, which would add a new middle school for $57.7 million and a new career technology education wing to the high school for $14.7 million.

They argue the price is too high and the need is lacking.

Bond proponents say the middle school and high school are already overcrowded while enrollment is growing and the middle school is past its useful life.

They say the need for the buildings eventually must be addressed and the longer the wait, the higher the price.

Charles Thomas, leader of the One Way Outreach Ministry, is running for Orange City Council for the fifth year in a row. His best finish saw him gather 42.7% of the vote against incumbent Paul Burch in 2020.

Incumbent Caroline Hennigan, seeking reelection in the At-Large Place 5 seat, is Thomas' opponent this time.

Also on the Orange Council, incumbent Mary McKenna runs for reelection from District 4 against Richard Pillsbury and Dwain Boullard.

The City of Pinehurst has only one office up for grabs – mayor.

Sarah McClendon, the current mayor pro-tem, is taking on first-term councilman Johnny Asevedo.

The City of West Orange has four people running for three at-large alderperson positions: incumbent Michael Shugart Jr., Frances-Droddy Lopez, Jay Odom and Lanie Brown.

The West Orange school district has six persons running for three at-large board seats: incumbents Linda Platt-Bryant, Demetrius Hunter and Gina Simar, Erick Guillory Sr., John Allen Jefferson Jr. and Donny Teate, Jr.

Only incumbents filed for the Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD, so no election will be held. The same is true for the Orange County Drainage District, and only one newcomer, former Port employee Debbie Britnell, filed for the empty spot on the Port Board, so those elections were canceled.

The Orangefield School District holds its elections in the fall.

The state constitutional amendment election is to raise school districts' homestead exemptions from $25,000 to $40,000.

To register to vote in the May 7 Orange County election, the form must be at the Orange County Elections Administration Office, 123 S. 6th St. by April 7, 30 days before Election Day.

A person must be 18 by May 7, a citizen of the United States and resident of Orange County, and fill out the application form listing driver's license number or the last four digits of the social security number.

May 7 Election

CONTESTED RACES

Bridge City Council Place 2 -- Mike Reed (i), Carl Harbert

Bridge City Council Place 4 – Patty Collins, Kenneth Prosperie

Bridge City Council Place 6 – Sherby Dixon, Michael Boyd

Orange City Council District 4 – Mary McKenna (i), Richard G. Pillsbury, Dwain Boullard

Orange City Council At-Large Place 5 – Caroline Hennigan (i), Charles Thomas

City of Pinehurst Mayor -- Sarah McClendon, Johnny Asevedo

City of West Orange – 3 At-Large Alderpersons -- Michael Shugart Jr. (i), Jay Odom, Frances Droddy-Lopez, Lanie Brown

West Orange CCISD – 3 At-Large Board Members -- Demetrius Hunter (i), Linda Platt-Bryant (i), Gina Simar (i), Erick Guillory Sr., John Allen Jefferson Jr., Donny Teate Jr.

RUNNING UNOPPOSED

David Rutledge (i), Mayor, Bridge City

Brad Childs (i), District 2, Orange City Council

Gregory "Ace" Willis (i), Pinehurst Alderperson at large

Cynthia J. Adams (i), Pinehurst Alderperson at large

Thad Hill (i), Bridge City Council, Place 4

Jerry McInnis (i), Bridge City Council, place 5

Jeffrey Hill (i), LCMCISD Board, Place 3

Christopher Reidel (i), LCMISD Board, Place 6

Roy D. Dunn (i), LCMISD Board, Place 7

Port of Orange (4-year terms)

Keith Wallace (i), Port Board, Pct. 1