Becky Ames
Becky Ames, a 13-year veteran of the Beaumont City Council, was elected May 12 to lead the city as mayor.
Ames received 7,354 votes, or 51.46 percent. Her closest opponent, Fanniece Hawkins, an office manager, garnered 6,664 votes, or 46.57 percent.
A lifetime resident of Jefferson County, Ames is a graduate of Texas A&M University and is employed as executive director of Atria Collier Park Senior Living Community. She was elected to the Beaumont City Council in 1994 as member-at-large.
Ames has served as mayor pro-tem four times.
She is a board member of the Julie Rogers Gift of Life-Breast Cancer Awareness program, Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, council liaison for the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, legislative committee for the Texas Assisted Living Association and was named Texas Association of Activity Professionals, "Administrator of the Year," 2006.
In Port Arthur, voters have another chance to pick a mayor after no single candidate received a majority of votes. A runoff election will be held between two former Port Arthur City Council members, Deloris "Bobbie" Prince and Willie "Bae" Lewis.
Prince received 2,080 votes or 30.48 percent, while Lewis received 1,849 votes. A date for the runoff election has not been set.
In the meantime, another Port Arthur mayoral candidate, businesswoman Esther Benoit, has called for a recount. Benoit was close to being a runoff contender, with only 80 votes shy of Lewis.