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Story Archives: Allen-McGlothin run-off in Ferriday mayor's race; Copeland, Turner winners


Allen-McGlothin run-off in Ferriday mayor's race; Copeland, Turner winners
posted Thursday, February 14th, 2008 @ 8:27 amE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen and former Mayor Glen Glothin will face each other in another run-off on March 8th in the general election.

Allen unseated McGlothin four years ago, while McGlothin was 31 votes shy of winning outright Saturday in the seven-candidate field.

In Vidalia, Mayor Hyram Copeland was re-elected during Saturday's primary, while Rydell Turner is the new mayor of Clayton after defeating incumbent Wilbert Washington.

Clerk of Court Clyde Ray Webber said voter turnout in Ferriday and Vidalia was identical.

Ferriday's was 53.99 percent.

Vidalia's was 53.71 percent.

FERRIDAY

Allen said that "we had seven people in the race and the votes were spread out pretty good. We're going to get our people out and we're going to win this race. We've run this office on a positive note and paid our bills."

McGlothin said he felt "good" about the leading on Saturday but says the race "is not over by a long shot. It's just really getting starting. But it proves the point that Ferriday wants a change."

McGlothin said this is not a race "about Glen and Gene, it's a race about what's best for Ferriday during the next four years. I'm asking all the citizens of Ferriday -- and I mean all -- to support me. A divided town has no future. I love Ferriday. It's my home town. I want to help everybody.

"I plan to continue to run a clean campaign and hope me and my opponent will run on the issues," said McGlothin.

In the primary race in March 2004, McGlothin received 644 votes, followed by Allen with 471. Other candidates receiving votes were Alex Promise, 200; Justin Conner, 155; William "Peanut" Cornwell, 23; and Freddie L. Quinn, 11.

But Allen recorded a 71-vote victory in the April 2004 run-off, winning with 886 votes to 815 for McGlothin.

On Saturday, McGlothin led the field with 598 votes (48%), while Allen received 410 (33%). Other contenders included Justin Conner, 125 (10%); alderman Glenn Henderson, 64 (5%); Alex Promise, 32 (3%); Wanda Ann Baker Smith, 19 (2%); and Evelyn L. Parker, 9 (1%).

McGlothin led in absentee voting with 70, followed by Allen with 19, Conner with two, and Henderson and Smith each polling one.

In Precinct 1-1, Allen polled 215; McGlothin, 147; Conner, 75; Henderson, 36; Promise, 21; Parker 8; and Smith, 6.

In Precinct 1-2, Allen led with 103, following by McGlothin, 69; Conner, 30; Henderson, 12; and Promise and Smith, six each.

In Precinct 2-1, McGlothin led with 312, followed by Allen, 73; Conner, 18; Henderson, 15; Smith, 6; Promise, 5; and Parker, 1.

CLAYTON

Rydell Turner defeated incumbent Wilbert M. Washington and one other candidate to win the mayor's seat.

Turner garnered 162 votes (52%) to 106 (34%) for Washington and 44 (14%) for Houston Holmes.

A contractor, 43-year-old Turner said his victory "feels really great, but not so much for myself as for the people. I'm glad to know they had the faith in me to elect my mayor."

He said one of his first priorities as mayor will be to develop recreation programs for young people.

"I plan to go to Baton Rouge and try to get grants and to find things for our kids to do to keep them off the streets," he said. "I want the people of Clayton to know that we plan to work hard and once in office we're going to get it all straight."

VIDALIA

Copeland, who garnered 62 percent of the vote in Vidalia, received 1,088 votes to defeat challenger Bill Murray, a former alderman, who received 678 votes (35%). Copeland led Murray by 410 votes.

Copeland won in absentee voting, 115 to 79, and in all four precincts including (3-1) 164 to 149, (3-2) 413 to 97, (3-3) 177 to 143, and (4-4) 219-210.

"It was a hard fought race and a good, clean campaign," said Copeland. "I was to thank my opponent for that and I want to thank the people of Vidalia for the opportunity to serve them another four years."

He said Vidalia has many projects on the table.

"We looking forward to moving ahead with recreation, on our port facility, and on the riverfront, including our marina," he said. "We've got some additional industrial projects in the works and we've got some residential and other commercial development on the way. We're excited about Vidalia's future and we want to make sure all of the issues discussed during the campaign are completed."

Murray said he, like Copeland, appreciated that the campaign was a clean one.

"My whole intent when entering the race was for it to be that way," he said, "although I was pushed, pulled and tugged for it not to be. But that's not the way I'm made. That would only serve to split the town."

He said he has "heard from the mayor and we are both hoping to work together for the future of the town and hopefully we can establish some common goals. I think we will be able to do this."

Murray said he was "really surprised that I didn't do a little better than I did, but apparently I wasn't able to get my message across in some sections of town."
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