Patterson will have contested elections for two city council seats in the November 4 municipal election even as Mayor R. D. “Dedi” Thomas Jr. will be reelected without opposition.
Incumbent David Smith drew two challengers for the district four post.
David Bowen and Racquell Scott both qualified for the post.
Bowen, 52, is retired from the transportation and logistics industry. He says he loves living in Patterson and believes he can bring a fresh perspective to the council.
Scott, 46, is the owner of Scott Transportation and works as a registration and financial clerk at Bacon County Hospital in Alma. She ran unsuccessfully in a special election in 2022 to fill the unexpired term of Joan Teglas-Duplessis, who died in office.
Smith, who is retired from United Parcel Service (UPS), was first elected in May 2013 to fill the unexpired council term of George Denison. Denison had given up the seat to run for mayor. Smith has been re-elected two times since then.
The three-way race is a winner take all contest. The top vote getter will be elected to the office, even if they do not receive a 50 percent plus one majority.
District two councilman Jim Echols drew a challenge from Ray Douberly.
Echols, a retiree from the Bureau of Prisons, is currently completing his first term on the council.
Douberly, 68, is retired and says he has the time to devote to the city.
He says he would like to see Patterson be a place to be proud of, to grow and prosper as a community.
The two council seats will be on all city ballots in the election.
Mayor Thomas will continue in his role when the new term begins in January. Thomas has served as mayor since winning a special election to fill the unexpired term of former Mayor George Denison, who resigned in 2016. Thomas won election to a term in his own right in 2017 and was re-elected without opposition in 2021. Patterson currently has 526 registered voters who are eligible to cast ballots in the mayor’s race and both council seats. Deadline to register to vote will be Monday, October 6. Early voting will start Tuesday, October 14 and continue through Friday, October 31. Saturday voting will be held October 18 and 25. Early voting will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, including the two Saturdays. There will be no early voting Monday, Oct. 13 due to the Columbus Day holiday and there will be no early voting Monday, Nov. 3. Polls will be open election day from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. In addition to municipal elections in Patterson and Blackshear, a county-wide education special local option sales tax (ESPLOST) referendum and a statewide special general election for two public service commission seats will also be held Nov. 4. The municipal election in Offerman has been cancelled after all seats were filled and no challengers qualified this year. (See related stories on Blackshear and Offerman.)
Thomas
Scott
Douberly
Echols
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