Mayor election to have runoff, Commissioner race decided

The City of Slaton will have a runoff election for Mayor while Commissioner Ward IV was determined during a special election Tuesday (Nov. 5).

In final unofficial results, Mayoral candidates Lynn Nowlin and John Gatica will have to face off in a runoff election, to be conducted next month.

Nowlin has 32.74 percent of the votes with 257 total, while Gatica has 28.54 percent of the votes with 224 total votes.

A candidate must have 50 percent plus one of the votes to be elected.

Other candidates for mayor were Coy Evans (172 votes, 21.91 percent), Clifton Shaw (98 votes, 12.48 percent) and Sonny James Bullard (34 votes, 4.33 percent).

In the final unofficial results for Commissioner Ward IV, Charlie Haynes Jr. defeated challengers Terry D. Reeves and Vernon Steese.

Haynes won 52.33 percent of the vote, receiving 45 total votes. Reeves received 39.53 percent of the votes, with 34 total votes. Steese had 8.14 percent of the votes, with seven total.

The mayoral runoff will be in December, with early voting starting Dec. 2 and Election Day Dec. 17. Hours will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m.