Although voter turnout was just over 5.5%, the results for local elections are in.
A mixed bag of newcomers and veterans won their respective races in local city council and school board races Saturday, May 4.
Only 24,042 of the 431,845 registered voters in Williamson County voted, according to election information.
Shelli Cobb won the Taylor City Council District 2 seat election with 64.98% of the vote. Cobb defeated incumbent Mitch Drummond, 28.52%, Terry Burris, 5.96%, and Sandra Wolff, 0.54%.
“My vision is to give the people of Taylor a voice in the decisions that are being made and to actually listen to them,” Cobb said. “And, to move forward with our community in the growth that’s going to come, but in the way our citizens want it to come.”
Cobb added that she thought it was awesome to talk to residents while out on the campaign trail, and find out their visions for the community.
Another newcomer will join Cobb on the council as Kelly Cmerek won the District 3 seat with a 90.76% landslide. Cmerek’s opponent, Nathan Walker, previously announced he no longer wanted to be considered for the seat.
Cmerek said he is excited to have the opportunity to serve on the council.
“We’re on the cusp of unprecedented change, and we hope to bring wisdom, faith and experience to all...the big decisions we have to make,” Cmerek said. “We want Taylor to be the same...fundamental Taylor we all grew up with, we want it to be the same even though we know it’s going to change.”
In addition, all six propositions passed in the Taylor election.
Proposition A, which sets compensation for City Council election at $125 a meeting in the city charter, passed with a 79.03% decision.
Other propositions adding charter amendments involved setting a minimum amount of time between council meetings, having residents elect the at-large position to serve as mayor and requiring meetings to be held in Taylor.
Taylor Independent School District’s board of trustees remains unchanged in the aftermath of the election. Incumbents Marilyn Tennill and Anita Volek remain on the school board each for another three year term.
Tennill gained 80.17% of the vote for the Taylor ISD at-large seat, besting Todd Gratehouse. Meanwhile, Volek ran unopposed for her Place 2 seat.
In the Hutto City Council Place 2 election, incumbent Dan Thornton won his race with a slight 51.69% victory over Cory Denena.
The Place 5 election likely will be a runoff between Dana Wilcott, 32.86%, and Evan Porterfield, 18.81%.
All but one of Hutto’s proposed propositions passed, with Proposition D only receiving 33.41% “for” votes.
At Hutto Independent School District, incumbents Amy English and James Matlock earned re-election bids. Matlock tallied 34.50% of the vote and English earned 31.93% of the vote.
Thrall Independent School District’s three open seats will be filled by Stephanie Ochoa, Rodrigo Reyes and Domingo Valdez.
