Voters in Wards 1, 3 give aldermen four more years
Published 5:00 am Wednesday, May 2, 2001
Ward 1’s Dorsey Cameron and Ward 3’s the Rev. Jerry L. Wilsonwon second four-year terms as aldermen Tuesday, but anotheralderman was forced into a run off.
Long-time Ward 2 Alderman Terry Bates faces a runoff in twoweeks against Rolanda Spiller to determine that race’s outcome,according to unofficial Democratic primary totals.
By an almost three-one margin, Cameron got 310 votes to DonaldDixon’s 87.
“I’m glad the people had the confidence in me to elect me toserve four more years,” the Ward 1 alderman said last night.
Although he did not elaborate, Cameron said annexation willlikely be the biggest issue facing the city over the next fouryears. He was hopeful he could help the city continue to improveand move forward.
Wilson defeated two challengers to win a second term inoffice.
“I praise the Lord and thank the people for coming out tosupport me,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to the next fouryears.”
In unofficial vote tallying, Wilson scored 263 votes to win theprimary and the election outright. Moses Bates, the brother of theWard 2 alderman, was second with 124 votes and former aldermanClarence B. “Doc” Johnson was third with 89 votes.
In the closest race of the night, Terry Bates was thefront-runner with 258 votes in a five-candidate field in Ward 2.The incumbent got just under 50 percent of the votes as the otherfour candidates combined got 262 votes.
Affidavit, or challenged ballots, were being counted thismorning in the City Clerk’s office.
With no candidate getting a majority, Bates will face Spiller,who was second with 126 votes, in the May 15 runoff. In other votetotals, J.D. Watkins was third with 100 votes, Billy Simon got 24votes and Charlie Lee Smith managed 12 votes.
Bates, who is seeking a fourth term, said there was a goodturnout for Tuesday’s primary.
“I’m going to have to prepare myself and campaign in the nexttwo weeks,” Bates said. “I appreciate everybody coming out, and I’mlooking forward to my supporters supporting me.”
Spiller said she was hopeful that voters would return to thepolls in two weeks and that some who didn’t vote Tuesday would doso then. She said she was excited to be in the runoff.
“This is a neighborhood I’ve grown up in, and I want to be apart of process as far as being a voice for my neighborhood,”Spiller said.