Incumbents and newcomers alike won big in Martinsville’s municipal election as Kathy Lawson, Julian Mei and Rayshaun Gravely were successful in their respective bids for city council.
Lawson, Mei and Gravely defeated LaNita Herlem and John Wilson for the three available city council seats. Virginia’s Election Board announced the winners more than three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Figures do not include provisional ballots and are based on complete reports from five of Martinsville’s six precincts. The city’s first precinct was still listed as Partially Reported as of 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Based on the preliminary count, Lawson secured 24.8% of the vote while Mei received 21.4% and Gravely 21.3%. Wilson and Herlem received a respective 18% and 13.9% of the vote. All Preliminary votes totaled 11,639.
By the end of Monday’s workday, Martinsville reported 2,260 early ballots and 533 mail in ballots. Canvass results, with more accurate figures, will be available after Tuesday’s elections.
Each of Martinsville’s six voting precincts opened at 6 a.m. to a steady stream of voters despite overcast conditions.
“We’re doing everything by the book,” said Martinsville Middle School Precinct Chief Ashleigh Pritchard.
By noon, 340 residents had cast their ballots at the Martinsville Middle School precinct, without any noteworthy issues, according to Pritchard.
“I haven’t had any major concerns,” Pritchard said.
Outside the Middle School precinct, signs demarcated the boundaries separating voters from campaign volunteers. Among them was LaNita Herlem, a political newcomer, doing her last bit of campaigning since the polls opened.
“I’m glad it’s almost over,” Herlem said, gauging her feelings going into the final hours of the election. She said that she does not currently have plans to run for public office in the future.
Wilson secured fourth place with 2,095 votes. Wilson was the only candidate whose early voting tally of 873 accounted for most of the ballots cast for him. His Election Day and absentee ballots totaled 850 and 372.
Gravely rounded out the top three with a preliminary count of 2,480 votes. This was just eight votes shy of Mei’s preliminary count of 2,488 votes.
Mei, a local Realtor, said that improving the city’s infrastructure and ability to attract business are among his chief concerns.
“Thank you for showing your faith and confidence in me to help move Martinsville forward in the right direction,” Mei said.
Out of the 2,488 ballots cast for Mei, his Election Day tally of 1,098 outpaced his early voting tally of 1,010 and his absentee tally of 380.
Support for Lawson, the race’s sole incumbent, was split between Election Day voters and early voters, each respectively totaling 1,328 and 1,257.
Gravely, Wilson and Lawson could not be reached for comment.
