L.J. Wesley, below, won her Tuesday runoff for the Ward 1, Pos. 1 seat on the Maumelle City Council.
Wesley beat Barry Brown, 312 to 257, or 54.8 to 45.2 percent, in a closely watched race that saw, as runoffs traditionally do, small turnout.
With another runoff in Jacksonville, the pool of registered voters was 18,375 but only 1,846 voted or just 10 percent of the potential ballots. And, even with that low turnout, about two thirds of those votes were in the Jacksonville race.
But, as previously noted, runoff turnout tends to run low regardless as it falls after the Thanksgiving holiday, as it did this time, as Pulaski County only had three days for early voting.
“No, I wasn’t surprised by the close margin,” Wesley said in an email to ArkansasNewsroom.com. “Barry Brown ran a good race, his passion for Maumelle is evident.”
Wesley won early voting with 209 votes to Brown’s 193, while Election Day voting also went to Wesley with 101 votes to Brown’s 61. Brown, however, won the absentee voting with three to Wesley’s 2.
Wesley credited her win to, “Face to Face interaction with residents,” she said. “Maumelle was wind to my back in running the race.”
She added, “I also believe the success of this campaign was largely due to my team of supporters. My family, friends and neighbors ran with me to cross the finish line. Every single supporter believes in me and have encouraged me throughout this entire journey.”
As for Brown, above, he said, "I was surprised by the close margin. Hard to get turnout for a runoff after a major election, plus a holiday, too.”
All true.
Brown, who has been active in the community for decades, said he wasn’t making any, “decisions on my future at this time.”
Hopefully, Brown, and Mike Chastain, who also ran for the seat, will stay involved in city politics going forward.
As for Wesley, she’ll be joined by Wes Booker, who ran unopposed in Ward 3.
Both are Black and this will be the first Maumelle City Council to have two Black members.
It was something Wesley had thought about.
“I’m so proud to live in a city where race did not hinder this historic event.,” she said. “I think it is great for Maumelle’s city council to reflect the diversity of our city.”
Now, as a council member-elect, what’s your top priority?
“To listen to our residents and represent them,” Wesley said. “?I look forward to joining the council in the progression of Maumelle.”
Asked if she had anything else to add, Wesley said,. “Thank You, Maumelle! I look forward to serving our community and working together to make Maumelle memories. Thank you for believing in me!”
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Wesley wins runoff
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L.J. Wesley, below, won her Tuesday runoff for the Ward 1, Pos. 1 seat on the Maumelle City Council.
Wesley beat Barry Brown, 312 to 257, or 54.8 to 45.2 percent, in a closely watched race that saw, as runoffs traditionally do, small turnout.
With another runoff in Jacksonville, the pool of registered voters was 18,375 but only 1,846 voted or just 10 percent of the potential ballots. And, even with that low turnout, about two thirds of those votes were in the Jacksonville race.
But, as previously noted, runoff turnout tends to run low regardless as it falls after the Thanksgiving holiday, as it did this time, as Pulaski County only had three days for early voting.
“No, I wasn’t surprised by the close margin,” Wesley said in an email to ArkansasNewsroom.com. “Barry Brown ran a good race, his passion for Maumelle is evident.”
Wesley won early voting with 209 votes to Brown’s 193, while Election Day voting also went to Wesley with 101 votes to Brown’s 61. Brown, however, won the absentee voting with three to Wesley’s 2.
Wesley credited her win to, “Face to Face interaction with residents,” she said. “Maumelle was wind to my back in running the race.”
She added, “I also believe the success of this campaign was largely due to my team of supporters. My family, friends and neighbors ran with me to cross the finish line. Every single supporter believes in me and have encouraged me throughout this entire journey.”
As for Brown, above, he said, "I was surprised by the close margin. Hard to get turnout for a runoff after a major election, plus a holiday, too.”
All true.
Brown, who has been active in the community for decades, said he wasn’t making any, “decisions on my future at this time.”
Hopefully, Brown, and Mike Chastain, who also ran for the seat, will stay involved in city politics going forward.
As for Wesley, she’ll be joined by Wes Booker, who ran unopposed in Ward 3.
Both are Black and this will be the first Maumelle City Council to have two Black members.
It was something Wesley had thought about.
“I’m so proud to live in a city where race did not hinder this historic event.,” she said. “I think it is great for Maumelle’s city council to reflect the diversity of our city.”
Now, as a council member-elect, what’s your top priority?
“To listen to our residents and represent them,” Wesley said. “?I look forward to joining the council in the progression of Maumelle.”
Asked if she had anything else to add, Wesley said,. “Thank You, Maumelle! I look forward to serving our community and working together to make Maumelle memories. Thank you for believing in me!”