Two candidates for Port Arthur’s Position 7 City Council seat will face each other in a runoff election on Dec. 1.

Charlotte Moses and Reginald Trainer received the most votes of the four candidates running for the Council seat, but neither received more than the required 50 percent to be declared the winner.

Moses garnered the most votes with 1,022 or 46.20 percent, shy by 85 votes of the number she needed to top the 50 percent needed to win outright.

Trainer was the second highest vote getter with 562 or 25.41 percent.

Rounding out the vote was Thomas J. Henderson, with 355 or 16.05 percent and Antoine “Ton” Freeman with 272 or 12.34 percent.

Moses said though she had hoped to avoid a runoff, she was very happy with the amount of people that had cast their ballots in her favor.

“I am good and very thankful for those who voted for me. We are ready for the runoff and are going to make it happen,” she said.

Moses, 52, is owner of Global Drug and Alcohol, a company that performs drug testing for various businesses.

She is executive pastor of Christian Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Port Arthur, and served on the city’s Economic Development Board until she resigned after filing for the Council seat.

She campaigned that her experience as a former city of Port Arthur employee would bring a unique perspective to the Council seat. She has worked in the city’s human resources department from 1988 to 2006.

Moses said the Council should strive to work more in unison while leading the city.

Trainer, 57, is owner of Trainer Lock and Key, a business that has been in operation for 14 years.

Trainer ran on a platform of change, noting that he would be the “next sheriff in town.”

He had vowed to concentrate on the need to improve city streets and create jobs for Port Arthur residents, while citing need for unity in a city of diverse cultures.

Trainer could not be reached for comment.

Jefferson County voters also approved all seven of the constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Of the county’s 143,378 registered voters, 8,575, or 5.98 percent voted.

In Port Arthur, a total of 2,212 voted on the day of the election.

E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com

Twitter: skooncePANews

 

 

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