
Paw Paw Town Hall
Paw Paw Mayor Darlene Abe has won a second term in office as vote counting has ended for the town’s municipal election today, June 1. Abe won decisively, with 47 votes over challenger John Pritchard’s 24 votes. Recorder Jeff Palmer has won another full term in office with 61 votes. Taking three council seats are Sherry Rowzee, with 55 votes; Angie Newlon with 54 votes and Earl Meyers Jr. with 44 votes. Two seats on the council are left open, and will be filled by the newly-elected council once they take office on July 1.
Paw Paw voters also passed a ballot measure that changes the length of term for both the mayor and recorder. Town residents approved the referendum, 46 votes in favor and 14 against. Under the measure, Paw Paw’s recorder will now serve a four-year term and, in the municipal election of 2023, the mayor will be elected for a four-year term. Council members will continue to serve for two years at a time. The referendum was meant to stagger terms, so that not all of the town’s elected officials would be up for election at the same time.
Town Recorder Jeff Palmer said preliminary vote totals include ballots from absentee voting, early voting and in-person voting today. Vote totals, including a small number of provisional ballots, will be canvassed on Monday at 4 p.m. by town officials, Palmer said.