DOBBINS HEIGHTS — Tyré Holloway and Angeline David will retain their seats on the Town Council, based on the unofficial results from Tuesday’s municipal election.
Tallies from the Richmond County Board of Elections show David received the most votes on election day and the second-most in early voting for a combined total of 73.
Holloway’s results were reversed. He was the top vote-getter in early voting and had the second-most votes Tuesday with 52.
Challenger Mary Magee, the town’s former clerk, received a total of 43 votes, with all but four coming in from the polls.
Records show that 22 residents voted early and one submitted an absentee ballot. There were no provisional ballots cast.
Elections Director Connie Kelly said there was still one outstanding absentee ballot. To be counted, it would have had to have been postmarked by Tuesday and must be received by Friday.
Fewer than 100 of the town’s 446 registered voters cast a ballot in this election.
Although there are only nine votes separating Magee from Holloway, Kelly said she doesn’t anticipate a runoff based on the statute.
All results are unofficial until canvassing by the Board of Elections, which will take place at 11 a.m. Oct. 12.
Both Holloway and David share responsibilities for the town’s parks and recreation department.
For nearly a decade, they have been part of a core group of leaders — along with Councilwoman Mary Ann Gibson and Mayor Antonio Blue — bringing improvements to the town.
Several of those have been in Holloway and David’s department, including the installation of new playground equipment, construction of the new community center and the repaving of the town’s basketball court.
After the results were announced, the two each thanked the town’s residents for participating in the voting process and for the support.
“It’s just a mandate that shows we still have work to do,” Holloway said. “Now that we’ve got this (election) behind us, we’ll commence to completing the good work.”
Holloway currently serves as mayor pro tem and was first elected in 2013. He will be going into his third term on the board.
He said the town is in the process of paving the parking lot of the community center and that there are plans to “enhance the park to be accessible to all residents of Richmond County.”
Holloway said the board is still working to improve it’s tax collection rate.
He told the RO in June 2020 that when he was first elected to the board, the collection rate was around 62%. Although it has improved, it was still less than 80% at the time.
Holloway said the town would also work toward further development.
“I’m glad the citizens trust us to keep the momentum going,” Holloway said.
David, who was first elected in 2006 and is going into her fourth term, said she will “work hard to continue to make a difference in Dobbins Heights,” and wants the residents “to work with us.”
Two of David’s goals are to work more with the youth and improve overall literacy among the town’s residents, she said as she recalled meeting a young voter Tuesday who didn’t know how to read.
According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, only 77.1% of the town’s residents have completed high school or a higher level of education.
“We still have work to do,” David said.
