During Tuesday’s regular meeting of the city of Amarillo’s city council, Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson was officially sworn in for another term, coming after candidate Claudette Smith challenged the race through recount proceedings after the results of the May 1 election.
According to previous reports by the Amarillo Globe-News, Nelson, along with Place One Council member Cole Stanley, Place Two Council member Freda Powell, Place Three Council member Eddy Sauer and Place Four Council member Howard Smith were all elected to their respective positions May 1.
However after the results came out, mayoral candidate Claudette Smith requested a recount for the mayor’s race. Because of the proceedings, it delayed the official canvassing and the swearing in of Nelson for this term as Mayor, something Nelson spoke about during the council meeting.
Tuesday’s meeting of the Amarillo City Council served as a milestone for two reasons.
First, the meeting was the first in-person meeting of the council in more than a year, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing council meetings, and many other public meetings, to be conducted via video conferencing software.
Second, Tuesday s meeting served as the first one after May’s general election, where individuals cast their votes for the mayoral position as well as the city’s four council seats. The votes cast by Potter and Randall county residents were canvassed and official after unanimous approval from the city council.