While the United States presidential race hung in limbo Tuesday night, local races had a more certain and consistent theme of change.
Stephen Brister Hicks was elected the new mayor of Lometa. Kempner voted to create the new position of city manger, and two new Lampasas city councilmen were elected.
At the end of Election Night, Republican President Donald J. Trump and Democrat Joe Biden both were well short of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Electoral College. Nearly a day later, the results of seven swing states -- Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada and Arizona -- were undetermined or disputed. Texas was declared a Trump victory.
Trump filed suit in several states and called for a recount in Wisconsin. He alleged attempted fraud after vote returns seemed to stall or turn decidedly toward Biden in states that Trump had been leading on Tuesday night.
At the local level, Challenger Gordon Nelson unseated Lampasas City Council Place 3 incumbent Chuck Williamson in Tuesday’s election, and Bob Goodart defeated Zach Taylor for the Place 5 seat.
Nelson outpolled Williamson by a vote total of 1,527 to 966.
Nelson said he is glad the election, which originally was scheduled for May, is finally decided. He said he was “more or less” surprised by the wide margin with which he defeated Williamson.
Nelson said his belief in limiting city spending likely attracted voters.
“I imagine it’s the way the city is spending money,” he said. “We need to do it differently.”
Nelson said he opposed the city’s purchase of the butterfly sculpture in front of the city administration building, the LTX sign on the downtown square and bathrooms at Campbell Park.
“I’m for the welfare of the people,” he said. “I don’t like to make it hard on them.”
Nelson said he looks forward to working with the current City Council members to “get things going the right way.”
“I’m not looking to raise trouble, but I’m noted for answering it if it comes my way,” he said.
Goodart defeated Taylor 1,306 to 1,154.
Goodart said he is pleased with the results.
“It’s time for change,” he said. “Some members have been sitting on the City Council year after year, and it’s time to focus on some new life.”
Voters likely were attracted to his knowledge of city operations, Goodart said.
“As a prior [city] employee, I know what the departments need,” he said. “I have a good working relationship with the city.”
Goodart said he has worked with Lampasas residents for 25 years.
“For the unspoken public, I have an understanding of what they’re looking for,” he said.
Goodart said he would like to improve residents’ understanding of the city’s accomplishments.
“I want to bring respect back to the city,” he said. “I want the public to know the city’s doing a real bang-up job doing what they need to do.”