Incumbent Freeman confident as early votes are counted
Published 7:14 pm Saturday, May 4, 2019
By Ken Stickney
Incumbent Port Arthur Mayor Derrick Ford Freeman and four challengers Saturday night awaited results of balloting — including early voting — with these questions in mind: Which candidate if any might win outright the seat or, if no candidate can gain 50 percent of the votes, plus one, which two will make the June 22 runoff.
Results of early voting showed Freeman leading the pack among 2,529 absentee and early voters with 35% of the vote. Three candidates — Thurman Bartie, with 25%; Chuck Vincent, with 20% and Willie “Bae” Lewis, with 18% — also polled well. Lowra Harrison trailed badly with less than 2%.
Freeman, reached late Saturday afternoon, expressed confidence that he was enjoying a good day at the polls and that his campaign would have a good showing.
“We’ve seen a lot of our supporters voting today, which we believe is verification that what we are doing is right,” Freeman said.
Freeman said his campaign team was pleased with the turnout — despite some troubles linked to a storm-related, electrical outage — but others lamented what they said was low voter participation.
While Freeman expressed confidence about his campaign, rival and former City Councilmember Willie “Bae” Lewis said he expected to win without a runoff. He said he put special emphasis on early voting and mail balloting, and said that would put him in the driver’s seat when votes are counted. He suggested Freeman would not make a runoff, if there is a runoff.
Dr. Lowra Harrison said there was “too much confusion with voters,” especially about where they should vote. Early voting was done at two sites — City Hall and the Port Arthur Public Library — and she said people did not know where to go on Saturday.
But she said she was pleased with the tenor of her campaign and the efforts of her all volunteer staff.
No matter the outcome, she said Saturday afternoon, “No worries.”
Chuck Vincent said turnout in his apparent stronghold in Port Acres, where he lives and is active in community affairs, was “steady.” That would likely catapult him into a runoff if no clear winner were declared on voting day.
He said he’d heard reports of machine problems at some sites but added they’d been working since midmorning. He said the city should have done a better job of preparing at the polls.
Former justice of the peace Thurman Bill Bartie said he had “no idea” what the outcome would be but suggested turnout was slow in the morning.
“I would love to be on top, period, and win outright,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen that way, I’d just like to be in the runoff.”
Polls closed at 7 and early votes were expected to be counted quickly.
Final tallies will take longer, in that results will have to be delivered to City Hall from polling sites as far away as Sabine Pass.
