Updated 10:32 p.m.
Howard Wood and Marsha Porter have won races for Conroe City Council places 4 and 5, respectively, according to unofficial results from Montgomery County. Candidates Harry Hardman and John Hernandez will face off in a runoff election June 11 for City Council Place 3, Hardman and City Secretary Soco Gorjon confirmed May 9.
With 2,869 votes, or 56.86% of votes, Wood won the Place 4 election.
Wood and Porter could not be reached for comment on election night. However, in a previous Q&A with Community Impact Newspaper, Wood said if elected, he would "improve transparency and accountability at City Hall and serve our citizens with integrity and honor."
With 2,567 votes, Porter, the lone incumbent to win reelection, won by less than 50 votes with 50.45% of votes. Porter is a retired teacher, coach and former Conroe ISD athletic director who has served on City Council for over 10 years.
As Hardman had 43.83% of votes, or 2,147 votes, and Hernandez had 19.58%, or 959 votes, the two will go to a June 11 runoff for Place 3. For races with more than two candidates, the winner must have 50% of the vote plus one, according to Hardman. A former municipal utility district board president, Hardman is the president of the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Hernandez is a business owner.
In addition, candidates William Waggoner and Meloney Turner will head to a runoff election for city of Conroe municipal judge. Waggoner received 26.31% of votes, or 1,278 votes, and Turner received 25.46%, or 1,237 votes. Waggoner is an emergency medicine and army reserves medic, and Turner is a maintenance technician.
Early voting for the June 11 runoff is May 31-June 3 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and June 6 and 7 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m, according to Assistant City Secretary Sami Quinlan. Early voting locations are April Sound Church and the Conroe City Council chambers, according to Quinlan. On June 11, voting will be from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Conroe City Council chambers.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Posted 7:46 p.m.
Editor's note: The article has been updated to clarify that Howard Wood is leading Raymond McDonald in the Place 4 race.
Marsha Porter, Howard Wood and Harry Hardman have all taken early leads in the May 7 Conroe City Council elections.
For Place 5, Porter leads with 1,925 votes, or 51.73% of the total, against Susan Johnson with 1,796 votes, or 48.27%.
Porter has served on City Council for over 10 years and is a retired teacher, coach and former CISD athletic director. Johnson is a real estate broker and owner of J Properties.
Wood leads the Place 4 race with 2,170 votes, or 58.68% of the total, against incumbent Raymond McDonald with 1,528, or 41.32%.
Wood is an entrepreneur and sales executive, and McDonald is a senior pastor.
Hardman has a commanding early lead in a crowded Place 3 race with 1,583 votes, or 44.73% of the total. The rest of the votes are across the board among his opponents with Carl White receiving 590 votes, John Hernandez with 646 votes, Larry Calhoun with 297 votes and Brandon Polk with 484 votes.
Hardman is the senior vice president of SalesTalk Technologies, Polk runs a gym as a small-business owner, White has years of community service working with nonprofit and community organizations, Hernandez is a business owner and Calhoun has eight years as executive director of the Conroe Industrial Development Corp.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide for updated results throughout the night on May 7.
