THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 8, 1996 TAG: 9605080398
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: AE10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON AND LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Change was the watchword Tuesday in Western Tidewater, as newcomers won five of seven races in Franklin and Smithfield.
In Franklin, first-timers captured the mayor's post and two seats on the six-member City Council.
James P. Councill III, making his first run for office, easily defeated two-year council veteran E. Kent Pope for mayor.
In unofficial returns, Councill got 1,532 votes to Pope's 618.
``I see this as a vote for confidence in the future,'' said Councill, 51, from a victory party at Fred's Restaurant.
``In my opinion, this is a vote for hope and trust, for progress and for working together,'' he said.
Councill, an insurance company owner, had campaigned to help heal recent racial tension in the city. ``The citizens from all parts of the city have shown they believe we can work together, and they want to,'' he said. ``I'm just excited to be a part of it.''
Despite the loss, Pope will keep his council seat. His term expires in 1998.
Another first-timer, Billy D. Hawkins, defeated incumbent W. Norwood Boyd, who was making his second bid for the council in Precinct 2. Hawkins, a credit union manager, got 398 votes; Boyd, 223.
In uncontested races, newcomer Joseph J. Scislowicz won in Precinct 1, and veteran Robert E. Harrell was re-elected in Precinct 4. Citywide voter turnout was almost 49 percent.
In Smithfield, incumbent Alvin C. ``Al'' Rogers held his Town Council seat with 471 votes.
Two newcomers - Kaye H. Brown, a retired teacher, and Richard K. MacManus, a nuclear engineer with Virginia Power - won the other other council positions.
Brown got 470 votes. MacManus got 475 votes in the sparse turnout.
Ronald H. York, a Realtor and newcomer to politics, got 318 votes.
Only 712 - slightly more than 25 percent of Smithfield's 2,839 registered voters - went to the polls.
In Windsor, the voter turnout was even lower. Forty-three voters - 8.5 percent of the town's 503 registered voters, participated in the Town Council election.
Three incumbents will return to office: Marvin A. Crocker Jr., with 39 votes; H. Cecil Eley Jr., 39; and Wesley Ray Holland, 41.
KEYWORDS: ELECTION RESULTS by CNB