Smithville businessman Danny Washer and local attorney Gayla Hendrix earned seats on the Smithville City Council, unseating incumbents W.J. (Dub) White and Aaron Meeks during Tuesday night’s Municipal Election. Washer polled 290 votes, or 21.72 percent of the vote, to lead the ticket and earn election to the City Council for the first time. Incumbent Shawn Jacobs retained his seat on the board with 249 votes, or 18.65 percent of the vote, while Hendrix was third in the balloting with 211 votes, or 15.81 percent of the vote. Hendrix narrowly defeated White and Cordell Walker, who each tallied 209 votes, which accounted for 15.66 percent of the vote. Meeks earned 165 votes, or 12.36 percent of the vote.
Click here and listen to the winning candidate’s thank you remarks during the WJLE LIVE broadcast Tuesday night beginning with Gayla Hendrix, Danny Washer, and Shawn Jacobs.
A total of 538 people voted in the Smithville Municipal Election. 350 people voted early or by absentee ballot, while 188 people voted on Election Day. The election commission reports that the city of Smithville currently has 2,870 active registered voters.
The Smithville City Council will be made up of Mayor Taft Hendrixson and aldermen Danny Washer, Shawn Jacobs, Gayla Hendrix, Cecil Burger and Steve White. The new aldermen are to be sworn into office on Thursday, June 30 at 6:00 p.m. at city hall.
Tuesday’s vote totals break down as follows:
Gayla Hendrix:
Machine #1: 15
Machine#2: 26
Machine #3: 29
Early Voting/Absentees: 141
Total: 211
Shawn Jacobs:
Machine #1: 21
Machine #2: 36
Machine #3: 45
Early Voting/Absentees: 147
Total: 249
Aaron Meeks:
Machine #1: 12
Machine #2: 20
Machine#3: 25
Early Voting/Absentees: 108
Total: 165
Danny Washer:
Machine #1: 24
Machine #2: 43
Machine#3: 45
Early Voting/Absentees: 178
Total: 290
Cordell Walker:
Machine #1: 11
Machine#2: 23
Machine#3: 30
Early Voting/Absentees: 145
Total: 209
W.J. (Dub) White:
Machine#1: 13
Machine #2: 20
Machine #3:34
Early Voting/Absentees: 142
Total: 209