Voters make history in Orrville

Published 1:40 am Wednesday, August 29, 2012

ORRVILLE — The voters in Orrville felt 2012 was a year for history to be made, electing not only the first woman as mayor, but the first African-American as mayor.

Louvenia Lumpkin defeated long time Orrville Mayor Gene McHugh Tuesday, bringing to a close McHugh’s 21-year term as Orrville’s mayor.

Lumpkin received 54 percent of the votes tallied, while McHugh received 46 percent of the votes.

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Lumpkin said she’s thankful and glad to win the race, and she’s ready to get to work.

“First of all, I want to thank God, because if it weren’t for God I would not have won that race,” Lumpkin said. “But I feel great. I just feel great. My aim is first bringing the community together, mending the community and building trust with the people of the Orrville community.”

As for McHugh, he was surprised by results, but he will move forward.

“I hadn’t got over it yet. It’s just one of those things you have to deal with,” McHugh said. “I’m awfully disappointed. I’m proud of what I accomplished in 21 years and I just wish I could have done more. Like I said, it’s just one of those things. I’ll move forward.”

In the race for Orrville Town Council, the five candidates receiving the most votes from the voters were elected.

Rodney Ellis received 50 percent of the votes, while Jewell Williamson received 17 percent. Herman Majors received 15 percent, Nell Frasier received eight percent, Dorothy Addcox received six percent and Yvonne Roberts received five percent.

Ellis becomes the only newcomer to the council, while Roberts was the only incumbent not re-elected.

The win, Ellis said, is a blessing.

“It’s just a blessing to win. I’m happy that all of the voters came out and supported me like they did,” Ellis said. “My goals are to work with the mayor and the council members to move Orrville forward.”

Williamson said she’s happy to be re-elected and is looking forward to continuing her service to Orrville and she’s ready to provide the same leadership to the community she has for the past two decades.

“I will continue to work just as hard as I have for the last 21 years,” Williamson said. “I will do my best to uphold the laws of Dallas County and Orrville. I will do my best to be as frugal as I always have been with our spending. And I will be open to the public to talk to them about matters and trying to help them solve problems.”