Staff Writer

JONESVILLE - Voters here elected their first black mayor Tuesday.

Unofficial results from Jonesville's municipal elections show councilman Ernest B. Moore Jr. winning the mayor's office with 140 votes or 59 percent to 97 votes or 41 percent for incumbent Mayor Reba Vinson. Elected in 2006, Mrs. Vinson is Jonesville's first woman mayor. Moore was elected to council in 2006.

When he takes office in May, Moore will be one of only five blacks to serve as mayor of an incorporated municipality in Union County. The others are Leroy Worthy in Lockhart and Janie Goree, Ann Stevens and Radzil Thompson in Carlisle.

Moore pledged to work with council to help the town progress.

“First, I want to thank God for the opportunity to serve on town council and I want to thank the people of this town for electing me,” he said. “I pray to God that he'll let me make them a good mayor and I'll do the best I can to work with council to move Jonesville forward with the growth of Union County.”

Town council

Three incumbents and a former council member were returned to council Tuesday.

John Ray Fowler won his fourth full term on council with 197 votes while Danny Gregory and Steve Thompson each won their second term with 189 and 166 votes, respectively. Former council member Ann Queen was elected to what will be her third term on council with 132 votes. Political newcomer Donna Simmons received 106 votes.

Water Commission

Two seats on the Jonesville Water Commis-sion were also on Tuesday's ballot but the races had to be decided by write-ins as no candidates filed to run. Former councilman Fred Faucette won a seat on the commission with 11 votes while former council member Julia DeHart won the other with 10 votes. Mrs. DeHart was the first black member of the town council.

The Jonesville Election Commission is scheduled to meet today to certify the results of Tuesday's election.