When the deadline passed Friday for a place on the May 7 General Election ballot to decide a new Port Arthur mayor, three candidates had officially filed for the position.

They include Harold Doucet Sr., Derrick Freeman and Janice Milo.

Doucet is a former Port Arthur City Councilman and currently serves on Port Arthur Economic Director Corporation board of directors.

Doucet, 65, was elected to the District 4 City Council seat in 2011. Two years ago he made a bid for the mayoral seat, but was defeated by current mayor Deloris “Bobbie” Prince, who is terming out.

Doucet is retired with 30 years in the U.S. Army, where he was command sergeant major.

He is a native of Port Arthur and a 1968 graduate of Lincoln High School. He attended college at Texas A&M in Kingsville.

Freeman, 39, is also not new to the Port Arthur City Council.

He served as Position 7 City Councilman until announcing his candidacy for mayor.

Freeman is a self-employed businessman.

He studied at Liberty University and the University of Texas at El Paso, majoring in political science.

Milo, 61, is a native of Port Arthur and a 1973 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. She is founder, CEO and senior pastor of the Global Gospel Ministry, Kingdom Dominion International Inc., and Kingdom Dominion Church of Port Arthur.

She also served in the United States Army Reserves and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm.

She is a retired nurse with 24 years of service, and was owner of Vital Care Health Agency from 2004 to 2006.

Early voting for the May 7 election is scheduled for April 25 through May 3.

E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com

Twitter: skooncePANews