Chatman will face Broadhurst in fight for District 3 seat
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on October 10, 2007 1:46 PM
As the unofficial numbers came in for the third district of Goldsboro City Council manual receipts, those in the Wayne County Board of Elections board room were still wondering which two of three candidates would be on the list for the fall vote.
The votes were still close enough for uncertainty at about 8:15 p.m., but almost a half hour later, the ticket was complete.
Incumbent Donnie R. Chatman Sr. and Jerry Broadhurst will do battle in November.
Chatman had 57 percent of the votes with an unofficial total of 68. Broadhurst received the second largest amount of votes with 34. Constance Foy Nixon came in with 16 votes.
Appointed to the council seat in 2004, Chatman decided to run for a new term this year to continue with the city's progress.
But he wasn't sure if he would make it this far.
"Not really nervous -- I was sort of a little hyper about it," he said of the primary. "I am semi-relieved. This is my first election that I had to sweat out."
Chatman was one of three interviewed to take William Goodwin's seat after he resigned in 2004. The council found him to be the best-qualified.
As a former planning director and Goldsboro native, Chatman plans to continue to help the city he grew up in to be the best it can be, starting with one of the biggest problems -- crime.
"I think it's something we need to get a grip on, and we need to get a grip on it quick. I think the police are addressing that, and help with people and people coming forward," he said.
He believes that if the city can band together, much of the crime can hopefully be alleviated.
"I don't know if we will ever eliminate crime, but we can control it," he said.
Currently, he plans to keep campaigning so that he can sit in that council seat again next year.
"I just want to keep talking with people and tell them to remember this is just the first round," he said. "I will try to keep interest up."
He couldn't have done this alone, he said.
"I want to thank everybody for their votes and support, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't even be here," he said.
Chatman's opponent for November's election will be Broadhurst.
He received 25 percent of the vote.
Broadhurst didn't return phone calls from the News-Argus requesting comment on his primary win.