Two College Station City Council races will go to a runoff election in December, according to unofficial results reported Tuesday night. In Place 1, incumbent Mark Smith received just over 39% of the vote. Howard Mayne received 38.2%, and Roy May received 22.4%. Smith has held the seat for four years. Mayne is running for public office for the first time. Both named housing affordability and data center development as top concerns. Smith said he wants to rebuild public trust and increase community awareness. Mayne said he would support data centers only if proposals put the public's best interests first. Smith will keep the seat until the runoff winner is sworn in.
In Place 5, Tre Watson received just under 48% of the vote from more than 12,150 ballots cast, but that was not enough to avoid a runoff. Padon Holt received 35%. Valen Cepak received fewer than 5,000 votes and was eliminated. Watson and Holt will face off in December for the rest of the term of Bob Yancy's vacant seat.
In Place 2, Chandler Arden received more than 15,200 votes, or over 62%, defeating Michael Kidd. Arden is a real estate agent and residential home developer who has lived in the Brazos Valley for 55 years. He ran on housing affordability. Arden will be sworn in on Nov. 16.