HURLOCK — Although unofficial as of press time, the Nov. 7 Hurlock election results were decisive. In district 4 incumbent Councilman Charles Cephas, running unopposed, received 39 votes. District 3 incumbent Russell “Rusty” Murphy received 45 votes and his opponent Lyn Vinson took 17 votes. A total of 102 votes were cast with one blank ballot. Ten absentee ballots remained to be counted but will not affect the election results.

Mr. Murphy was appointed to the District 3 seat in September after former Councilman Parker Durham’s April resignation. The 53-year-old councilman and former US Navy Seabee has worked for United Parcel Service since July 1988 and is a member of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 355. An active member of Bethel United Methodist Church, he is also a member of their Board of Trustees.

Four year terms for the Council and Mayor are voted on every two years on a staggered basis. Councilmen Cephas and Murphy will be up for re-election in 2019. Jerry Rhue, Dist. 1; Bonnie Franz, Dist. 2; Earl Murphy, Dist. 5 (At-large representative); and Mayor Joyce Spratt all face re-election in 2017.