It was a tough, close race for Brandon Chase McGee, but he managed to pull through and secure a second term in the Place 5 seat of the Denton City Council with 50.39% of the vote, according to complete but unofficial results Saturday night.
Erica Garland secured 49.61% of the vote, showing that the slight majority either approves of McGee’s priorities as a council member or disapproves of what might happen if Mayor Gerard Hudspeth had been successful in getting a conservative majority on the council.
Hudspeth supported Garland this election season and attended her election night watch party at Andy B’s on Saturday.
Garland also had support from voters who are tired of the council trying to tackle issues that are outside of its purview, such as marijuana reform, or already regulated by the state and federal government, such as fair chance hiring — an effort led by McGee.
Although Lilyan Prado Carrillo and Jill Jester both ran strong campaigns, Jester, a real estate attorney, pulled ahead with 53.18% to Prado Carrillo’s 46.82% of the vote to secure Chris Watts’ soon-to-be-vacant Place 6 seat.
Watts decided not to seek reelection due to health issues.
