Petra Hawkins

Tyler District 2 City Council candidates Stephen Dinger and Petra Hawkins head to a runoff election after neither received 50% or more of the vote.

Recent joint elections in Smith County concluded Saturday, with less than 7% — 998 of 14,618 registered voters — participating. Lindale City Council will welcome Jerretta Nance Pate as a new member, while Terry Lowry will soon become mayor for the City of Arp.

District 2 in Tyler spans from Highway 31 West to the South Southwest Loop 323, ending near Fresh on Old Jacksonville Highway.

There are 9,458 eligible voters in District 2, according to the Smith County Elections Office.

However, only a small portion of eligible voters participated. The upcoming runoff will require both those who participated previously and those who abstained to engage in the electoral process to determine the councilmember.

Unofficial results show Dinger secured 320 votes, representing 45.65% of the total votes cast, while Hawkins garnered 256 votes, which accounted for 36.52%.

Both Dinger and Hawkins expressed gratitude for those who exercised their right to vote.

“I’m one of those people that believe everything happens for a reason,” Hawkins said. “I’m new at this. I’ve stepped out of my box, and so I just have more work to do. It pushes me to get out more [and] inform more people.”

District 2 in Tyler is predominantly composed of minority families. Established in the 1970s, it promotes minority representation on the Tyler City Council.

Hawkins emphasized the need for further education and outreach to ensure that residents are fully informed about the electoral process and understand the significance of maintaining minority representation in the district.

“I recognize the importance of representation in city leadership,” Dinger said. “While I may not share the background, as many of our residents in District 2, I’m certainly committed to ensuring that all the voices are heard and represented within our city government.”

Dinger emphasized resident participation in elections, noting that city council decisions directly affect constituents’ lives and that participation ensures representation of their values.

The third candidate in the District 2 race was Dexter Floyd, who received 17.83%, or 125 votes, according to unofficial results.

All results are considered unofficial until canvassing, which takes about two weeks after an election. The runoff election will be held on June 15.