PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The race for Port Arthur Mayor is beginning to heat up as Charlotte Moses announces her plan to run for the position but Incumbent Mayor Thurman Bartie says he isn't ready to leave his office.
Bartie is hoping that changing a city charter will allow him to run for the seat at least one more time.
He tells 12News to make the change he needs to gather almost 1,400 signatures from the community.
Bartie says that the change is not just for him. Many candidates have been pushed out because of the current term limits.
"This would be an opportunity for continuation in service and leadership in our community," Bartie said. "There are several initiatives that I still support and are in their infancy such as the development of downtown."
However, next year Bartie will have completed his allowed time in office. The city's charter only allows mayors and council members to serve two three-year terms.
Bartie wants to change that.
"I want us to be able to vote on a mayor and council person serving three consecutive three-year terms. But it has to be done through a charter change," said Bartie.
His first step is to start a petition and gather signatures from registered voters in the city.
"I would need 5% of 27,924. At this junction there are not 27,924 registered voters in the city of Port Arthur. So I would need 5% of that number. So 5% of that number is 1,396 so round that off to 1,400," he said.
Starting Friday Bartie will spend the next 30 days collecting these signatures in person.
"The city secretary has to verify those signatures by August. Then it will be placed on the general election ballot in November," Bartie said.
He says if voters say yes, he plans to spend the first half of 2025 campaigning for re-election.
"I have the passion but it's not just built on the passion of being a mayor but actually being able to do the work," Bartie told 12News.
He hopes to continue that work in Port Arthur.
"I've accomplished something as simple as making sure the transportation secretary would award us here at our port with $14 million. It came down to a relationship," Bartie said.
Bartie says if the charter change happens he looks forward to serving another three-year term and any new mayor coming in would be able to serve nine consecutive years.