WEST POINT — In a landslide victory, West Point Mayor Scott Ross claimed the Democratic nomination for West Point”s mayoral seat. And at least one incumbent will not be returning to the West Point Board of Selectmen”s table for the next four years.
The West Point Civic was packed Tuesday night as candidates and their supporters waited patiently for votes to be counted and results of the Democratic primary to be released.
With an unofficial total of 2,314 votes cast in Ross” favor, he successfully gained the 50 percent-plus one of the votes needed to hold the nomination without a runoff.
Of Ross” five challengers, Tonya Quinn, garnered the second most votes with 555.
“Other than exhausted, I feel great. It was very gratifying to win without a runoff,” said Ross as he shook hands with his supporters at the Civic late Tuesday.
Ross” only hurdle to re-election now is independent candidate Harlod Lathon, who Ross will face in the general election on June 2. Ross faced Lathon in the 2005 mayoral race and won with 88 percent of the vote.
Winning both the nomination and seat outright was Ward 2 Selectman candidate Homer Cannon. Cannon defeated incumbent candidate Marion “Bubba” Wilkerson 349 votes to 224.
Cannon is a full-time pastor in Hamilton. He also owns West Point Karate School, where he teaches martial arts. This is Cannon”s first time running for an elected position.
“I had a lot of friends who were sharing their concerns and sentiments our city and community face,” he said. “I”m so passionate about those same concerns and sentiments, my heart told me I had to run for this office.”
Wilkerson could not be reached on election night for comment.
In Ward 5, Jasper Pittman will once again be the ward”s representative at City Hall.
The incumbent barely defeated his only opponent, Joe Michel, 396 votes to 382. Because there are no other candidates in the race, Pittman won outright.
Runoff elections
Runoffs will be held in Wards 1, 3 and 4 on May 19.
Sixteen-year board veteran Linda Hannah will face first-time candidate Rod Bobo.
In a surprise turn, Bobo, who works as a sales representative for Mitchell Automotive, received more votes than the incumbent, 268-226.
“I identified a need for change in our city government, and I have a willingness to serve,” said Bobo.
Hannah could not be reached Tuesday night for comment.
In Ward 4, incumbent Keith McBrayer will have to face John Caskey. McBrayer was only a few votes shy of winning outright, 505- 435.
An obviously frazzled McBrayer was present at the Civic but declined to comment. Caskey could not be reached for comment.
Finally, in Ward 3, the only ward in which incumbent John Cummings is not seeking re-election, voters have their choices narrowed to Charles D. Collins and Hubert Caston who received 169 and 264 votes respectively.
In West Point, Democratic primary and primary runoff elections decide the seats for all selectmen, since all the candidates are Democrats. Mayoral candidates Ross and Lathon, the only candidate who did not qualify as a Democrat, will be the only ones on the ballot for the June 2 general election.
Of West Point”s 7,306 registered voters, 3,500 cast ballots.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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