By Mike McCombs
The Island News
Tuesday, Nov. 4 was Election Day with two Town Council spots up for grabs in Port Royal, and as of 10 p.m., it’s clear the incumbents will retain their at-large seats.
With 77.78% of the precincts reporting, Daryl Owens and Mary Beth Gray-Heyward had 44.88% (469 votes) and 42.68% (446 votes) of the vote, respectively. Newcomer Angie Tillman was a distant third with 12.15% (127 votes).
“I’m deeply humbled, very appreciative and deeply grateful to the people of Port Royal for continuing to entrust me to do the work that they’ve tasked me to do,” Owens said. “I’m grateful for the people that came out despite it not being a general election.”
Owens has been on the council since May of 2017.
“I am excited and humbled,” said Grey-Heyward, who has been on Port Royal’s Town Council for 34 years. “The fact that I have so much support and my supporters were so awesome, I could not have done it without them. I am so overwhelmed at my constituents putting their trust with me to be their voice for the next four years.”
Tillman, who has lived less than a year in Port Royal was disappointed in the turnout in her first foray into local politics, but considers it a learning experience.
“I’m proud of myself. I learned so much,” Tillman said. “I’m the new girl. It’s OK. I am so passionate about this place. … To even jump in and do what I did, I feel good. However, I feel like, honestly, it’s just kind of keeping Port Royal stagnant. That’s how it feels to me. I just wish it would have gone differently.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
