By: John Zippert
Co-Publisher

In yesterday’s City of Eutaw Municipal elections, 1,219 voters cast ballots. There were five candidates in the Mayor’s race. Incumbent Mayor Raymond Steele led with 403 (33%) votes, Councilwoman Latasha Johnson came in second with 359 (30%) votes; Joe Lee Powell received 257 (21%); Sandra Walker 183 (15%) and Queena Bennett Whitehead 17 (1%).
There will be a runoff election on October 6, 2020 between Raymond Steele and Latasha Johnson for Mayor.
In Forkland, Incumbent Mayor Charlie McAlpine was reelected with a vote of 216 to 60 for Rev. Michael Barton.
In the Eutaw City Council races, there will be a runoff in District I, where Valerie Watkins received 115 (44%) votes to 107 (41%) for Chondra Mayes and Ke’Undra Quintez Cox received 38 (14.6%). The runoff also scheduled for October 6 will be between Watkins and Mayes.
In District 2, LaJeffrey Carpenter received 160 (69%) votes to 70 (30%) for Bryant Snyder, Jr. and was reelected to the Eutaw City Council. In District 3, Tracy Hunter, who was unopposed was elected to that seat.
In District 4, Larry Coleman received 110 (51%) votes in defeating incumbent Councilwoman Sheila Smith with 105 (49%) and will take the seat.
In District 5, Jacqueline Stewart with 120 (52%) votes defeated Rodney Wesley with 109 (48%) capturing this seat.
When the Mayor and Council are seated and sworn-in, for a four-year term, on November 10, 2020 there will be four new council members with only LaJeffrey Carpenter returning.
In Forkland, in the only contested city council race, for District 3; Alonzo Thomas with 48 votes won with Preston Davis receiving 25 and Willie Sashington getting 9 votes.
The Mayor’s position and city council races were not contested in the Towns of Boligee and Union, so the same officials have been reelected for another term.
1,219 (49.7%) of voters out of 2,450 registered in the city turned out to vote in the first primary on August 25, 2020. “We will need to work hard to raise the turnout for the Municipal Runoff on October 6 and the important November 3rd General Election for U. S. President, Senators, Congress and other offices,” said Carol Zippert, Greene County Chair for the Alabama New South Alliance.