DISTRICT 4 ELECTION
And then there were two.
That’s what happened with the city of Taylor’s District 4 councilman race. What was a four-person race dwindled down to two.
Marie Bloemer and Heather Long will have a runoff election for the District 4 councilman spot because none of the four candidates — Shannon Quicksall and Gordon Pettey included — were able to secure the requisite 50% of the vote.
Long earned 43.43% of the vote and Bloemer was right behind at 29.65%.
Both Bloemer and Long look forward to the runoff election. Early voting takes place from May 27 to June 3, and election day is June 7.
“The gameplan is simple: keep showing up, keep listening, and keep talking with the people of Taylor. I’m doubling down on conversations - on doorsteps, at local events, and anywhere else folks want to chat,” Bloemer said. “I want every voter to know exactly who I am, what I stand for, and how I plan to keep Taylor growing responsibly. Also, I might keep a few extra cups of coffee on hand because it’s going to be a busy few weeks.” Like her opponent, Long plans on a similar approach.
“We are going to continue connecting with the residents of District 4,” Long said. “I walked every street and every neighborhood in the district in the run up to May 3, and I’m back on the street already talking with neighbors about their vision and hopes for our town.”
Both candidates look forward to the extended campaign. They each plan on having “more porch talks” or just explaining their purpose for running for a councilman position in the first place.
“Honestly, I am glad for the opportunity to speak to even more neighbors about why I’m running and the importance of having someone on the council right now with my extensive experience in construction and contracts,” Long said.
“I’m making things more personal,” Bloemer said. “During the general election, I focused on broad issues: roads, taxes, and transparency. For the runoff, I’m honing in on specific neighborhood concerns and doing more one-on-one outreach. I’m also getting creative with ways to engage younger voters and people who may not always feel represented in local elections.”
Both Bloemer and Long hope to convince the 26.92% of voters who chose Quicksall or Pettey to vote for them next month. They each have a strategy to try and make that happen.
“It’s going to take honest conversations about shared values. A lot of voters want the same things: a transparent city government, a thriving local economy, and thoughtful growth that doesn’t leave our neighbors behind,” Bloemer said. “I’m not here to play politics. I’m here to be a practical, approachable leader who listens and follows through. If folks give me a second look, I think they’ll see we have more in common than they might have thought.”
“I think many of those voters were attracted to (Quicksall’s) message of sticking up for the people of Taylor first and foremost and I will certainly do that,” Long said. “We see an increasing number of development proposals coming before the city council and I want to use my understanding of these contracts and projects to ensure that every single one of them works for the people of Taylor.”
