GROVETON — Ralph Bennett, the first African American mayor elected in Groveton, was unseated in the Saturday election by political newcomer Hayden Lee.
Additionally, incumbent council member Robert Smith was replaced by Chase Hester, while incumbent Autumn Persons retained her seat.
Unofficial results show Lee garnered 140 votes to Bennett’s 52. In the race for the two council positions, Hester got 106 votes and Persons got 101, and the top two vote-getters are seated on the council.
Other candidates receiving votes were incumbent Robert Smith with 46, Darnell Donovan with 53 and Joseph Wood with 28.
•For the city of Trinity, incumbents Bryan Buck and Phillip Morrison retained their seats.
Buck received 237 votes to challenger Art Walker’s 234, while Morrison received 322 votes over challenger Jaimie Grider Gentry’s 131.
Vote counts are unofficial until canvassed.
•For Trinity ISD, Kevin Searcy and Monty Huffman won re-election to the Board of Trustees; however, incumbent Maggie Trevino lost to the fourth candidate, former board member Ricky Hortman.
The vote totals were Huffman 389, Searcy 373, Hortman 331 and Trevino 323.
The board is not separated by any districts, so three candidates receiving the most votes were seated.
