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Yellow PagesMaxwell wins run-off
TUSKEGEE, Alabama (STPNS) -- Louis Maxwell says he began feeling the momentum last week. He was basking in that feeling Tuesday night (July 15) after defeating Harold Powell in a runoff for chairman of the Macon County Commission.
Many observers expected a close-to-the-wire finish. When the results were in, Maxwell had garnered 1,736 votes (55.75 percent) to Powell's 1,378 (44.25 percent). The victory margin of 358 votes was considered surprisingly large.
In the primary on June 3, Powell had led a field of six candidates with 1,207 votes while Maxwell was a solid second with 909 votes, 298 behind the leader. The remaining four candidates managed 1,888 votes, meaning there were a lot of votes for the two runoff candidates to go after.
It has been 12 years since Maxwell was defeated in 1996 while seeking a fifth term on the Tuskegee City Council. He proved in the six weeks since the primary that he hadn't forgotten how to campaign.
Maxwell believes his faith and church relationships ultimately made the difference in overcoming Powell, clerk for the Town of Shorter where his mother, Willie Mae Powell, is mayor.
Two days after running a full-page advertisement in The Tuskegee News, Maxwell hosted a gospel singing rally on The Square in downtown Tuskegee.
"That ad got the people talking and the gospel rally was something," Maxwell said after his victory. "There must have been 2,000 people at the rally. I did a lot of door-to-door campaigning, but I built my foundation on the churches. They stood by me and I believe it's the churches that got me into the runoff."
Maxwell used a strategic plan that paid off Tuesday.
Powell only carried boxes at Prairie Farms, basically in Shorter, Hardaway and Franklin. Most observers thought he would carry SEASHA, but when SEASHA's two boxes reported Maxwell edged Powell 320 to 260. It was all over at that point.
"We knew we had to turn SEASHA and take Tuskegee Municipal Complex. We did what we had to do out in the county," Maxwell explained.
Tuskegee Municipal Complex went to Maxwell by a 430-186 advantage.
Maxwell, who serves as field operations manager for Star Mindingall Water Authority and chairman of the board for Central Alabama Comprehensive Health, spoke to several issues.
His emphasis has been health care, improving interstate infrastructure development with getting sewage service to those areas and unifying the county.
Maxwell's ideas and experience evidently grabbed the attention of voters. The Democratic chairman nominee with no Republican opposition in the November general election, Maxwell plans to take a few days off to relax with his wife, Janice, a special education teacher.
After that, he's looking forward to preparing for taking office as soon as possible after the general election. Maxwell will succeed Jesse Upshaw who chose not to run again after four terms as chair, most the of the last two spent in a wheelchair with severe arthritis.
"I decided five years ago to run for chairman and have been putting putting some money aside to run," Maxwell said. "I believe we can do some good things for Macon County."
As for Powell, it's back to his job as Shorter's clerk after taking time off to run for chairman, a road he's been down before. Four years ago he lost by four votes in a runoff with Upshaw. Powell challenged the vote and lost that challenge locally and on appeal to the State Democratic Executive Committee.
"I want to thank the good people of Macon County for their support. I congratulate Mr. Maxwell on his victory and look forward to working with him in the future," Powell commented.
"The people of Macon County wanted the result they got and I'm fully willing to accept their wishes. I want to express my appreciation to Mrs. (Shirley) Curry and the Macon County Democratic Conference for all their support and I will continue my membership with the organization."
Jacquelyn Carlisle contributed to this report.
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