Petra Hawkins, left, and Stephen Dinger head to a runoff in the Tyler City Council District 2 race.

Saturday is Election Day in the Tyler City Council District 2 runoff race.

Petra Hawkins and Stephen Dinger compete in the runoff election after no candidate received over 50% of the vote in the three-candidate May 4 election.

Dinger earned 320 votes, or 45.65%, while Hawkins received 256 votes, or 36.52%. The third candidate, Dexter Floyd, received 125 votes, 17.83%. The two top vote-getters moved on to the runoff.

In the May election, about 700 votes were cast out of the 9,470 eligible voters in District 2, which spans Highway 31 West to the South Southwest Loop 323, ending near Fresh on Old Jacksonville Highway.

For the runoff, approximately 650 ballots were cast early, including both in-person and mail-in votes.

“About 50% of the voters turnout on Election Day, and about 50% come out during early voting,” said Michelle Allcon, Smith County Election Administrator.

Early voting turnout not only nearly surpasses the total number of votes cast in the May 4 election but also is a notable increase compared to the June 2019 runoff election for the District 3 seat, which had 208 votes.

“I was thinking this was a really bad turnout, but looking at this number now, we’re doing pretty good,” Allcon said. “Those candidates did go out, and it appears they have talked to voters and asked them to come vote.”

Although higher than in comparable elections, the turnout percentage remains low.

Depending on the turnout of this race, Hawkins or Dinger will fill the District 2 seat currently held by longtime councilmember Broderick McGee, whose term is expiring.

People express frustrations with politics at all levels, Dinger said. Local politics and the decisions made by the city council have the most significant impact on residents’ daily lives.

Much of the role is explaining to residents what the council makes decisions on such as tax rates, critical infrastructure, public safety and first responders.

“Your vote matters,” Dinger said. “Who you vote for locally is extremely important.”

Hawkins highlighted the importance of maintaining minority representation on the city council for District 2 and said the district, established in the 1970s and predominantly composed of minority families, promotes diversity and representation within Tyler’s government.

“Not just because I’m a minority, but because I’m from the community. I’ve been engaging with the community. I’m experienced in the community. I feel like that they should take that into consideration and go out and vote so that we can maintain this seat,” Hawkins said.

The margin for victory in this election is so narrow it could hinge on a single vote, Hawkins said.

“There’s a lot of people on my opponent’s side, as well as mine, that are motivated to get out and vote, and I would expect that to continue through Saturday,” Dinger said.

Former Tyler Mayor Martin Heines and the Tyler Organization of Men recently endorsed Hawkins. Dinger was endorsed by the East Texas Regional Fraternal Order of Police.

Tyler native Hawkins, with over 32 years in healthcare, pledges to amplify the voices of her community’s underrepresented individuals. Growing up in Tyler, she believes her deep understanding of the community’s needs positions her uniquely to contribute.

Hawkins, a registered nurse since 1998, has served in various roles and worked on rapid response and crisis assignments across the country.

In 2022, she became a licensed real estate agent and co-owns multiple businesses. Active in the Tyler Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations, she is also enrolled in Tyler ISD’s Community Education Specialist Training Program.

“I care about the community where I live; we’re growing, and I want to see us continue progressing,” Hawkins said.

Dinger, a Tyler transplant since 2014, seeks to represent District 2 on the Tyler City Council driven by his love for the city and diverse life experiences. Inspired by his parents’ civic engagement and his participation in Leadership Tyler, he aims to bring a fresh perspective to local governance.

Dinger’s professional background in insurance and real estate positions him to advocate for development and prosperity in District 2, he said.

Active in various community roles, including the Smith County Appraisal Review Board and Camp Tyler, he and his family are involved members of South Spring Baptist Church.

“I’ve always had a passion to volunteer, serve, and give back to the community,” Dinger said. “This is just a continuation of that.”

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at polling locations across the city, including:

Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Rd.

The Hub: 304 E. Ferguson St.

St. Louis Baptist Church: 4000 Frankston Hwy.

Three Lakes Middle School: 2445 Three Lakes Pkwy.