Top row: Petra Hawkins, Stephen Dinger, and Dexter Floyd are running for Tyler City Council District 2. Bottom row, from left, Terry Lowry is running against incumbent Dennis Ford (who couldn't provide a headshot) for the Arp mayor seat, while incumbent Yvette Martin, center, is challenged by Jerretta Nance Pate in the Lindale Place 2 council race.  (Contributed Photos)

Editor’s Note: In-depth profiles were previously published in printed editions of the Tyler Morning Telegraph and can be read anytime at tylerpaper.com/elections. The following story was also published on the front page of Friday’s printed edition.

Election Day in Smith County’s joint city elections is Saturday, May 4. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Council seats are contested in two Smith County cities, with one mayor facing opposition. Smith County residents will decide, respectively, who should represent Tyler’s District 2 and Lindale Place 2 council seats and also who should lead the City of Arp as mayor.

“Political subdivisions that typically have an election are not holding one, so this is unique,” said Michelle Allcon, Smith County Election Administrator. “We will have to see how active the people get in coming out to vote.”

The joint election has 14,500 eligible voters. Allcon’s expectations for turnout are low, but she still hopes to see a steady stream of voters Saturday.

“We are not expecting a big turnout,” Allcon said. “I don’t think it’s going to be crowded with people waiting in line, but I think it will be steady, at least for the City of Tyler [race].”

Saturday’s election should not be confused with the May 28 Republican Primary runoff, during which Smith County Pct. 3 commissioner Terry Phillips faces challenger J. Scott Herod.

Voters can utilize an interactive map on the county’s current elections information website to determine their eligibility for specific elections in Smith County. This feature aids voters in identifying whether they reside within districts holding an election.

“If you choose the tab that says joint election, it will show you the areas that are not grayed out are the areas that will be participating in the May 4 election,” Allcon said. “There’s also a tab for the runoff so you can click on that to see if you’re within the commissioner precinct three boundary lines.”

Allcon said the interactive map can be highly beneficial for voters as it provides valuable information and displays the polling places that will be open.

Voting systems explained

The City of Tyler is a single-member district, meaning one person is elected to represent the residents of a specific area (council districts) rather than the entire political subdivision, according to Allcon. Because of this, candidates and voters must reside within that specific area. Three candidates are vying for the District 2 council seat, currently held by Broderick McGee who reached his term limit.

If any of the single member districts are unopposed, the election for those races can be canceled. No one filed to run against Mayor Don Warren, therefore the mayor’s race is not on the ballot.

A different type of voting system is in place at the City of Lindale, which is an at-large election by place. Anyone residing in the city can run or vote for any of the city council places, but when filing for candidacy they must designate a specific council position, Allcon said.

An example would be if there are three council places up for election, and two already have candidates filed. In this scenario, a third person could file for the final place or choose to run against another candidate for a specific place instead of accepting the open position.

If there is an at-large by place election, and all are uncontested except for one, all of the races still have to be listed on the ballot.

Arp has an at-large voting system. Anyone who wants to file for a council position can do so. If there are more candidates than there are seats, whoever gets the most votes will take those positions, while if there are three seats and three candidates the race is uncontested.

If the council is uncontested but the mayor’s race isn’t, those races still have to be on the ballot — which is the scenario for Saturday’s election.

Who’s on the ballot?

City of Tyler

Council District 2

Petra Hawkins has over 32 years of experience in healthcare. A Tyler native, Hawkins believes she possesses a unique understanding and empathy for the community’s needs. She pledges to amplify the voices of her community’s underrepresented individuals. She is a member of the Tyler Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Metro Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP, and the League of Women Voters.

Dexter Floyd is an educational leader and community empowerment advocate. As principal of Tyler ISD’s RISE Academy, Floyd said he has demonstrated skill in fostering an educational environment where every student can excel, particularly resonating with the aspirations of Black and Hispanic families. He holds a Doctor of Education degree in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University.

Stephen Dinger relocated to Tyler in 2014 and cites his genuine love for his adopted home city as motivation for seeking to serve District 2 on the Tyler City Council. Dinger is a Risk Advisor for Cadence Insurance, where he consults with companies nationwide on their insurance programs. He is also a partner at Tarry Title and owns real estate investments across the city.

City of Arp

Editor’s Note: Ford could not provide a headshot.

Mayor candidates

Dennis L. Ford (incumbent) has lived in Arp for 25 years. Before becoming mayor, he was a city councilmember for several years. He has 28 years of experience with the state Department of Human Services as regional budget director, which he contributes toward his qualifications for the role. Ford is retired and has the freedom to focus entirely on his role as mayor, he said.

Terry Lowry is an Arp native who served on the city council before he ran for mayor the first time in 2016. He was elected and held the role until last term. He graduated from Arp High School before attending Abilene Christian University, where he earned a business management degree. Lowry works as a teacher and coach at Carlisle ISD and previously worked at Arp ISD. He ran a business in town for years.

Council candidates

Craig Robinson earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Kilgore College and started working for the Arp Police Department in 2001. After 17 years, he held the rank of sergeant lieutenant assistant chief, and for the final four years, he was the chief of police. In 2018, he started the Arp ISD Police Department and held the chief role for six years.

Chris Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from UT Tyler and a master’s in education from Lamar University. He’s worked as an educator since 2008 and teaches forensics at Arp High School. Distressed by the federal and state political landscapes and discourse, Johnson was inspired to participate in local government, where he felt people could make the most impact in their communities.

Both Robinson and Johnson will be elected to the two council seats because they were the only two to file for a place on the ballot. This certainty stems from the city’s at-large election system explained above.

City of Lindale

Place 2 council seat

Yvette Martin (incumbent), a Lindale resident for 14 years, relocated from San Antonio, choosing small-town life. She was a Lindale Parks Advisory Board member from 2015 to 2019, before she was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Committee. Martin later filled the unexpired term of Place 2 councilman Clyde Harper in October 2020. Her experience with parks and zoning boards gave Martin insight into the city’s growth, benefiting her as she served on the council.

Jerretta Nance Pate is a Lindale High School graduate and city resident for 39 years. Pate has been a business owner in the community her entire adult life. Pate served on local boards and in organizations. She has been a member of the Lindale Chamber of Commerce since 2008. She also served on the Friends of the Lindale Library board and Lindale Pilot Club, is a Lindale Rotary Club member and is a past member of the Hideaway Lake Kiwanis Club.

Important dates

May 4: Election Day and last day to receive ballot by mail

Election Day Polling Locations

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Arp First Baptist Church: 304 W. Front St., Arp

Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Rd., Tyler

Main Location The HUB: 304 E. Ferguson St., Tyler

Lindale Kinzie Community Center: 912 Mt. Sylvan St., Lindale

St. Louis Baptist Church: 4000 Frankston Hwy., Tyler

Three Lakes Middle School: 2445 Three Lakes Pkwy., Tyler