Smith County election results will see a familiar face return to Earp’s government, while the Tyler City Council race will head to a runoff. In Lindale, voters chose a new city council member.
Final unofficial results for the Smith County Combined Municipal Election have been reported by the county elections office, but all results are considered unofficial pending investigation.
Voters in Smith County’s three cities headed to the polls to decide who will represent them in city government. In the three-candidate Tyler City Council race, no candidate received 50% of the vote, meaning the top two vote-getters, Stephen Dinger and Petra Hawkins, will be in the runoff. It means to go. The District 2 seat is currently held by longtime City Councilman Broderick McGee, whose term is expiring.
In Alp, Mayor Dennis Ford will not be running for another term after a familiar face, Terry Lowery, received the most votes. Lowry, a native of Alp, has previously served as mayor and city council member.
In Lindale, the City Council election resulted in Geretta Nance Pate defeating incumbent Yvette Martin, leaving a newcomer to represent the second place.
Less than 7% (998 of 14,618 registered voters) voted in the municipal election.
Here are the unofficial results:
city of tyler
Council District 2
Note: In a three-candidate race, one candidate must receive at least 50% of the vote.
Steven Dinger, 320 votes, 45.65%
Petra Hawkins, 256 votes, 36.52%
Dexter Floyd, 125 votes, 17.83%
In a close race, Dinger and Hawkins will head to the runoff.
Dinger moved to Tyler in 2014 and cites a genuine love for his adopted home as his motivation to serve on the Tyler City Council District 2. Dinger is a risk advisor for Cadence Insurance, consulting companies nationwide on their insurance programs. He is also a partner in his Tarry Title, which owns real estate investments throughout the city.
“We are fortunate to live in a city where so many passionate people volunteer their time to serve on the City Council,” Dinger said Saturday. “I am honored that you voted for Mr. Dinger instead of Mr. Tyler.” Posted on the night’s campaign page.
He looks forward to “continued opportunities to visit District 2 residents, hear their stories, and share our vision for the future of our city.”
He appreciated Floyd’s efforts in the race. “He was committed to our community and ran a great campaign,” Dinger said.
“My plan is to go back to work tomorrow so I’ll take the night off tonight!” he concluded.
Hawkins, a Tyler native, has more than 32 years of experience in the medical field. She has what she believes is her unique understanding and empathy for the needs of the community. She is committed to amplifying the voices of underrepresented people in the community. She is a member of the Tyler Chamber of Commerce, the Tyler Metro Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, and the League of Women Voters.
Alp city
mayoral candidate
winner: Terry Lowry, 40 votes, 65.57%
Dennis L. Ford (incumbent), 21 votes, 34.43%
Lowry is from Earp and currently works as a teacher and coach in Carlisle ISD. He served as a city council member in 2014, ran for mayor for the first time in 2016, won, and served as mayor until last term. He took some time off to rest, but in a previous interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph, he said he was now ready to return to the role.
Mr. Ford has lived in Alp for 25 years and served on the city council before becoming mayor.
Council candidates (uncontested)
Craig Robinson, 52 votes, 53.06%
Chris Johnson, 46 votes, 46.94%
Robinson and Johnson were the only two people to apply for seats on the ballot, so they will each be elected to two seats. This certainty comes from the city’s at-large election system.
City of Lindale
Mayor (no objection)
Gavin Lasko, 213 votes, 100%
Lasko faced no challenger. Current Mayor Jeff Daugherty’s term ends this year.
2 seats established
winner: Geretta Nance Pate, 170 votes, 72.03%
Yvette Martin (incumbent), 66 votes, 27.97%
“Thank you so much for your support,” Pate wrote on her campaign’s Facebook page Saturday night. “I look forward to serving the community and the citizens of Lindale.”
Pate is a graduate of Lindale High School and has lived in the city for 39 years. Pate has worked as a business owner in the community all of his adult life. She worked on local committees and organizations. She has been a member of the Lindale Chamber of Commerce since 2008. She also serves on the Lindale Library Friends Board and the Lindale Pilots Club, is a member of the Lindale Rotary Club, and is a past member of the Hideaway Lake Kiwanis Club.
Current City Councilman Martin is in his 14th year living in Lindale. She served Place 2 City Councilman Clyde Harper’s term that expired in October 2020.
All results are considered unofficial until electioneering, which is about two weeks after the election.