Dateline: May 10, 2001

Low turnout for city, HISD elections 

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Apathy was the word of the day last Saturday as the City of Clarendon and the Hedley Independent School District held local elections.

A grand total of 119 people voted in the city election. Only 63 cast ballots in the Hedley CISD.

In Clarendon, five candidates were vying for two seats on the Board of Alderman. Former Collingsworth County Judge Bob Watson and incumbent Alderman Michael Tibbets were the voters’ top picks with 91 and 79 votes respectively.

Other candidates for alderman were Bill Holden, 22; Jim Wright, 17; and Carl Draper, 15.

Mayor Tex Selvidge was running unopposed and received 95 votes.

City winners will be sworn in at the next regular board meeting on May 22.

In Hedley, four candidates sought three positions on the school board.

Top candidates were Jan Farris with 45 votes, Jason Sargent with 38, and Mark Montgomery with 37.

Longtime board member Carole Ward lost her re-election bid by one vote. Thirty-six voters checked her name on their ballots.

The Hedley trustees were also sworn in Tuesday night.

Turnout percentages were not available at press time as officials with neither the city nor the Hedley schools could say how many people were registered to vote within their boundaries.