Election day nears for City of Diboll voters

Saturday is election day for Diboll city and school voters, with voting taking place from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Diboll Primary School cafeteria. Early voting ended Tuesday.

In the city election, incumbents Don Hendrick, Gandy Stubblefield and Fred Mitchell are seeking two-year terms and are being challenged by Lewis Ivey, Gary Jones and Gary Mike Smith. Voting is at-large, with the top three votegetters elected. Also on the ballot is a one-year unexpired term. Appointed incumbent Brian Wilson is seeking that seat and is challenged by Larry Cook and Charles Chatman. The unexpired term originally was won by Jones last year, but he resigned to seek a city job and now is seeking to return to the council.

The Free Press reported incorrectly last week concerning that sequence of events, naming someone other than Jones.

School district voters will choose from five candidates to elect three trustees. Voting is at-large. Incumbents Trey Wilkerson and Chuck Mann are seeking new terms, and challengers Kent Havard, Jimmy Metland and Gary Hurley also are on the ballot. Incumbent Sandy Hendrick did not seek a new term.

City voters also will vote on a proposed city charter, approval of which would make Diboll a home rule city. A 15-member citizens' commision studied Texas city charters and drafted the document

that voters are being asked to approve.

The most significant change in the document is the creation of four single-member council districts along with two at-large districts. Commission members argue that the new arrangement will guarantee that every part of the city will have council representation. Currently, all members of the council live east of U.S. 59, and five of the six live in what would become one district if the charter is approved.