Who's On The May 9 Ballot?

Early voting begins at 8 a.m. Monday in local city elections, which for the most part are low-key affairs, but this year promises to deliver some excitement among voters. In Beaumont, voters in Ward 4 on the city's south end, including the neighborhoods of South Park and the Pear Orchard, will choose among three candidates for an open seat. The candidates include, in order of ballot placement, Melanie Fontenot Smith, Gwendolyn Ambres and Robin Donatta Mouton. Jamie Smith served on council for eight years and his replacement, William "Bill" Sam, serving as interim councilman, is a political ally of the Smiths Ambres is still an elected member of the Beaumont ISD Board of Trustees even though the trustees were ousted by the Texas Education Agency for a series of failures to govern in connection with massive frauds and losses at the school district. In the mayor's race, also by ballot placement, are Christopher "Unc" Jones; incumbent mayor Becky Ames; and Jude Paredez. The China election offers interest in its mayor's race between challenger John Walker and incumbent Ella Johnston-Leger. Some Chinans strongly opposed a proposal for affordable housing that would be built on nine acres that Leger owns. Federal income tax credits would be used to build the affordable housing apartment property. Other council seats in China include District A, Kewpie Comeaux, incumbent, and Jessica Jordan; District B, Shirley Hodges, incumbent, and Amanda Ferguson; and District C, Richard Garner, unopposed. Voters also will be asked to support or defeat a proposition to reauthorize one-fourth of 1 percent of the city's sales tax for street repair.