Tyler to hold runoff election for City Council District 2 seat

TYLER, Texas (KETK) — Tyler City Council District 2 race between Stephen Dinger and Petra Hawkins heads to a runoff election.

Saturday’s results did not reach a majority winner, Dinger 45.65%, Hawkins 36.52% and Dexter Floyd 17.83%.

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“I think I was 30 votes shy of getting it over 50%, so very slim margins and one street by itself can sway the entire election,” Dinger said.

Both candidates said low voter turnout was a big factor in the outcome of the race, urging voters in District 2 to vote in the runoff on June 15.

Hawkins is a Tyler native and said she wants to help residents living in her district receive aid that is available to them.

“I’ve had people complain about their roofs and not being able to have access to resources, so I’d like to be able to address those resources, be able to be a resource for them to refer them out,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins has been in the healthcare industry for 32 years and feels like she is empathetic to issues residents pose.

Dinger has lived in Tyler for ten years, has a real estate background and believes a priority for the district is to grow and attract more people and business to their part of town.

“I look forward to working with people that are looking at expanding in Tyler or coming to Tyler and then also making sure that that growth is in all areas of the district and not just one place or one street,” Dinger said.

The winner hasn’t been decided yet, but everyone in District 2 has a second chance to cast their ballot.

“We really want to show up and show out this time we got an opportunity to have round two, so this is a second opportunity to get it right,” Hawkins said.

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