With 181 out of 202 precincts reporting as the Commercial went to press Tuesday night, races for two seats on the Pine Bluff City Council and for city treasurer featured one incumbent trailing badly and one in a big lead.
In the race for the Pine Bluff Ward 4 Alderman seat, challenger Bruce Lockett led incumbent Alderman George Stepps 692 votes to 284, or 70.9 percent to 29.1 percent.
Stepps has held the seat for the past 12 years. He decided to run for re-election after running unsuccessfully for County Treasurer.
Lockett, a justice of the peace on the Jefferson County Quorum Court, also chairs the board of the Family and Community Development Corporation. The FCDC offers programs for children and senior citizens.
In the race for the Ward Three, Position 1 Alderman seat, Democrat Donald Hatchett led independent Sheila Moon 1,231 votes to 370, or 76.89 percent to 23.11 percent. Hatchett defeated incumbent Glen Brown, Sr. in March in the Democratic primary.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Hatchett said he has worked with the United Way and the Boys and Girls Club, and worked at a local utility for 38 years. He said he decided to run to spark the development of housing and to support enforcement of laws that govern blighted properties.
Moon ran unsuccessfully in the 2014 Democratic primary for the Ward 3 Alderman seat against incumbent Bill Brummet.
In the race for Pine Bluff City Treasurer, Democratic incumbent Greg Gustek led independent challenger Lloyd Franklin 4,197 votes to 1,489, or 73.81 percent to 26.19 percent. Gustek has held the position for 16 years and was seeking a fifth term.