While longtime Pearland Mayor Tom Reid had more than 50 percent of the vote during early voting, support for Quentin Wiltz poured in on election day, and both Reid and Wiltz will face a run-off election on June 10. Reid secured 48.85 percent of the vote and Wiltz earned 45.64 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial results posted by the Brazoria County Clerk's Office. A third contender for mayor, Jimi Amos, received 5.51 percent of the vote.
Because no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote, Reid and Wiltz will enter a second round of voting called a run-off election.
"We have run a very positive campaign and it shows. People came out because they believe in the same message. It’s time to work; we’ve worked extremely hard, a lot of people know it doesn’t stop here. We have to continue the momentum and see where it takes us. I'm just a guy who has been active in his community who really cares about where this community is going to go," Wiltz said about his campaign, which is entering a run-off election in June.
Reid was not immediately available for comment.
More than 11 percent of registered voters—7,652 of 68,633 voters—in Pearland went to the polls this May election cycle, according to the county clerk's unofficial report. The election results will not be official until the results are canvassed by city council on May 15.
Incumbent Gary Moore also won his re-election bid on May 6. After securing 58.65 percent of the early votes, Moore came out with 55.32 percent of the total votes, beating out contender J. Darnell Jones. Moore will serve his second term on city council; he was first elected to serve in 2014 when he beat out then-incumbent Susan Sherrouse.
"I will continue the progress that I've been working towards: the flooding issues, supplying the water to the city and to obtain that for the city so we don’t have to pay the inflated rates [the the city of Houston] and continuing to fix some of our mobility issues," Moore said.
J. David Little beat out Jude T.A. Smith for position No. 5, which is currently held by council member Greg Hill, and will serve his first term on city council when he is sworn in. Hill resigned in January from his position and will step down as soon as Little is sworn in as a council member. Little received 64.64 percent percent of the vote.
"I hope to continue the good work that the council has done so far," Little said. "I'm going to listen and learn and figure out how the whole thing works out."
The most contested race of the election cycle is Pearland City Council position No. 7, which had six contestants running for the newly created council position. Because no contestant secured at least 50 percent of the vote, a run-off election will be held in June.
Dalia Kasseb secured 40.78 percent percent of the vote, securing her spot in the run-off election. Kasseb will run against Woody Owens who received 21.05 percent of the vote.
"We're going to keep at it keep sending our positive messages, keep talking to people and hearing their voices. We’re going to keep talking about the real issues and keep everything positive. That’s the main thing I want my campaign to be,” Kasseb, a Shadow Creek Ranch resident, said. "People in Pearland want diversity; they see that change coming in the future, and I'm going to keep fighting to make sure the voices of Pearland are going to be represented in council."
If elected in a run-off, Kasseb would be the first Muslim elected to public office in Pearland and Brazoria County.
"It worked out well. My campaign was to get in the run-off [election], and that’s what I wanted to do," Owens said. "This is an important race. It's an important position for the city."
Woody Owens is a former Pearland City Council member who served 12 years and retired from council in 2013 due to term limits. Owens previously ran for mayor in 2014.
More background information on all the candidates can be found here, and one-on-one interviews with the candidates can be found at Community Impact Newspaper's May 2017 online election guide here.
Gary Moore, David Little take double-digit lead, run-off anticipated for Pearland City Council position No. 7
Updated: 7:22 p.m.
Gary Moore has a 17 percentage point lead over contender J. Darnell Jones for position No. 3, according to early election results released by the Brazoria County Election Clerk's Office. Early election ran from April 24-May 2.
Moore received 58.65 percent of the vote—2,579 individual votes—and Jones received 41.35 percent of the vote—1,818 individual votes, according to early election results released at 7 p.m. on May 6.
For position No. 5, J. David Little received 66.87 percent of the votes to Jude T.A. Smith's 33.13 percent.
The hotly contested position No. 7, which has six contestants, is expected to go to a June run-off if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote. To date, Dalia Kasseb is in the lead with 37.2 percent of the vote. Woody Owens has the second most votes, coming in at 22.95 percent of the vote. Sherry Stockwell is close behind Owens with 20.95 percent of the vote. Only the top two candidates can go to a run-off.
Final election results is being counted and certified, and the county clerk will release the results tonight.
Tom Reid, Quentin Wiltz run tight race for Pearland mayor, according to early voting results
Updated: 7:08 p.m.
Longtime Pearland Mayor Tom Reid, 91, had a nine percentage point lead in the run up to the May 6 local elections, according to early election results released by the Brazoria County Election Clerk's Office. Early election ran from April 24-May 2.
Reid had 52.56 percent of the votes—2,447 individual votes—and Wiltz received 43.02 percent of the votes—2,003 individual votes, according to the early election results released at 7 p.m. on May 6.
Final election results will not be released until late evening on May 6.
Polls closing soon on Pearland City Council, mayoral election
Updated: 6:43 p.m.
Polls in Brazoria County will close at 7 p.m., and the results of early election will be released at that time. Final results will be available later in the evening on May 6.
More information on the candidates can be found on Community Impact Newspaper's online May 2017 election guide.
On the ballot in Pearland are three city council seats and the mayor's seat.
Longtime Mayor Tom Reid has two challengers in his bid for re-election: Quentin Wiltz and Jimi Amos.
Incumbent Gary Moore is running for position No. 3, which is contested by candidate J. Darnell Jones.
Two open seats are on the ballot as well.
The most hotly contested seat this race is for position No. 7, which is a newly created council seat. The position is one of two new positions on city council that were created upon amendment of the city charter in 2014.
Six candidates are on the ballot for position No. 7, which are Bud Tollefsen, Dalia Kasseb, G.C. Sonny Atkins, Sherry Stockwell, Terry Gray and Woody Owens.
Position No. 5 was put on the ballot after council member Greg Hill resigned in January to pursue his 2018 bid for the Brazoria County Court at Law No. 1 judgeship.
J. David Little and Jude T.A. Smith are competing for position No. 5.
