Webster retains D2 seat; Turk wins in D1
Acting Mayor Shawn Lassiter, formerly the Atmore City Council’s District 4 representative, got a strong response from his home region to cement a 717-366 decision over challenger Sandra Gray and win the mayoral race on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Gray gained an early edge with wins of 85-45 in District 3 and 135-57 in District 2, but Lassiter’s 321-44 nod from D4 voters, along with a 136-52 advantage from District 1, a 115-48 edge from District 5 (Gray’s home district) gave him 66-percent of the vote.
Lassiter, who was also named on 43 of 45 absentee ballots, thanked his family, friends, volunteers and “every supporter who gave their time, energy and heart.”
The mayor-elect, who was born and reared in Atmore, said it was an honor he would work hard to uphold.
“I am truly honored and humbled to have earned the trust of our community to serve as your mayor,” he said in an early-Wednesday text message. “The victory is not mine alone — it belongs to all of us who believe in the future of our city. I promise to lead with integrity, to listen and to work every day for everyone. Now, let;s get to work.”
Gray, though obviously disappointed, said she accomplished a goal she had set for herself years ago.
“I had always wanted to run for mayor,” she said. “I didn’t win, but I can now say that I ran.”
Voters in Districts 2 and 1 also selected their respective council representative for the next four years.
The District 2 race, the only one in which an incumbent council member was challenged, resulted in another term for Jerome Webster, who survived his third close race with a 105-84 decision over Andreas Grant.
When veteran city governor Cornell Torrence decided to step down in 2016, Webster earned the seat with an 8-vote win over Russell Robinson. He netted a second term with a 55-vote edge over Angelia Norman in 2020.
In the race to replace Webb Nall as District 1 council rep, Bob Turk claimed a 107-78 decision over William “Bill” Stuckey. Nall has served a total of 29 years on the city’s governing panel, including the past 25.
Turk, who will be sworn in on the first Monday in November, thanked God, his wife Carolyn, his family, his friends and everybody who supported him in his first bid for political office.
“I’m ready to get to work,” he said outside city hall after results were published. “The campaign is over, now it’s time to do something.”
Atmore’s “new” city government, which will be seated in November, will consist of Lassiter in the mayor’s office, Turk in the D1 seat, Webster in D2, Eunice Johnson will continue to represent District 3; David Dobson will assume the D4 seat on a permanent basis, and Bub Gideons will replace Chris Harrison at the D5 seat.
Neither Johnson, Dobson nor Gideons faced opposition, and their names did not appear on the ballots in their respective districts.
