Changes

Before his death, Robertson, also a Democrat, had recommended that the city council choose as the next mayor [[Tommy Davis|Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis]] (like Cornelius born in September 1942), a [[Republican Party|Republican]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130702/NEWS01/307020015/Minden-mayor-picks-successor-before-his-death|title=Minden mayor picks successor before his death: Bill Robertson wants Tommy Davis as interim|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date= July 1, 2013|accessdate=July 2, 2013}}</ref> First elected in 2006, Davis was the only Republican on the  city council.The current council consissts of three black Democrats and two white Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/09302006/09302006_60.html|title=Webster Parish primary election returns, September 30, 2006|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=July 2, 2013}}</ref> Davis, also a businessman, is a native of Stephens, [[Arkansas]].

Before his death, Robertson, also a Democrat, had recommended that the city council choose as the next mayor [[Tommy Davis|Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis]] (like Cornelius born in September 1942), a [[Republican Party|Republican]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130702/NEWS01/307020015/Minden-mayor-picks-successor-before-his-death|title=Minden mayor picks successor before his death: Bill Robertson wants Tommy Davis as interim|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date= July 1, 2013|accessdate=July 2, 2013}}</ref> First elected in 2006, Davis was the only Republican on the  city council.The current council consissts of three black Democrats and two white Republicans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/09302006/09302006_60.html|title=Webster Parish primary election returns, September 30, 2006|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=July 2, 2013}}</ref> Davis, also a businessman, is a native of Stephens, [[Arkansas]].

In the special election held on October 19, 2013, to fill the remainder of Robertson's term, Davis unseated Cornelius, 2,254 (61 percent) to 821 (22 percent). A third candidate, Walter "Woo" Morgan Jr., an African-American barber and hair stylist who operates a shop at the intersection of East Street and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Drive in Minden, polled the remaining 646 votes (17 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lasos.blob.core.windows.net/graphical-prod/rss/10192013_Parish.xml|title=Webster: Mayor City of Minden, October 19, 2013|publisher=lasos.blob.core.windows.net|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> Morgan had campaigned on a platform calling for the return of a movie theater to the city, the last of which closed during the 1970s, as sell as enhanced recreational opportunities though the city operates a recreational center off the [[Interstate 20]] service road.<ref name=ktbs/>  

In the special election held on October 19, 2013, to fill the remainder of Robertson's term, Davis unseated Cornelius, 2,254 (61 percent) to 821 (22 percent). A third candidate, Walter "Woo" Morgan Jr., an African-American barber and hair stylist who operates a shop at the intersection of East Street and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Drive in Minden, polled the remaining 646 votes (17 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lasos.blob.core.windows.net/graphical-prod/rss/10192013_Parish.xml|title=Webster: Mayor City of Minden, October 19, 2013|publisher=lasos.blob.core.windows.net|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> Morgan had campaigned on a platform calling for the return of a movie theater to the city, the last of which closed during the 1970s, as sell as enhanced recreational opportunities though the city operates a recreational center off the Interstate 20 service road.<ref name=ktbs/>  

   

   

On July 15, 2013, the council named Wayne Edwards as the interim District A member to succeed Cornelius. An African American, Edwards had been the runner-up to Cornelius in the 2010 primary election for city council.<ref>"Edwards named to city council", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 15, 2013, p. 1.</ref> Prior to Cornelius, the seat had been held by Rodney Dale Seamster, who died in office in April 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lmbca.org/news_articles/pdf/Salute_Ms_Ruby_Bridges.pdf|title=Salute to Ms. Ruby Bridges - Civil Rights Littlest Heroine|publisher=lmbca.org|accessdate=September 12, 2013}}</ref> Edwards then won the council seat in the special election over the African-American Republican candidate, Darrell Morris, 86 to 14 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lasos.blob.core.windows.net/graphical-prod/rss/10192013_Parish.xml|title=Webster: Councilman, District A, City of Minden|publisher=lasos.blob.core.windows.net|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref>

On July 15, 2013, the council named Wayne Edwards as the interim District A member to succeed Cornelius. An African American, Edwards had been the runner-up to Cornelius in the 2010 primary election for city council.<ref>"Edwards named to city council", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 15, 2013, p. 1.</ref> Prior to Cornelius, the seat had been held by Rodney Dale Seamster, who died in office in April 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lmbca.org/news_articles/pdf/Salute_Ms_Ruby_Bridges.pdf|title=Salute to Ms. Ruby Bridges - Civil Rights Littlest Heroine|publisher=lmbca.org|accessdate=September 12, 2013}}</ref> Edwards then won the council seat in the special election over the African-American Republican candidate, Darrell Morris, 86 to 14 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lasos.blob.core.windows.net/graphical-prod/rss/10192013_Parish.xml|title=Webster: Councilman, District A, City of Minden|publisher=lasos.blob.core.windows.net|accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref>

Cornelius ran unsuccessfully for mayor again in the primary election held on November 4, 2014. He polled 1,089 votes (23.7 percent). His two opponents, incumbent Republican Tommy Davis and Charles Deck "Chad" Odom (born February 1975), a No-Party candidate, competed for a full four-year term as mayor in a runoff election held on December 6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/08/20/desoto-da-minden-mayor-candidates-qualify/14331543/|title=Qualifying light Thursday in DeSoto, Webster|author=Vickie Welborn|date=August 21, 2014|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=August 22, 2014}}</ref> Davis won a narrow victory over Odom.

Cornelius ran unsuccessfully for mayor again in the primary election held on November 4, 2014. He polled 1,089 votes (23.7 percent). His two opponents, incumbent Republican Tommy Davis and Charles Deck "Chad" Odom (born February 1975), a No-Party candidate, competed for a full four-year term as mayor in a runoff election held on December 6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/08/20/desoto-da-minden-mayor-candidates-qualify/14331543/|title=Qualifying light Thursday in DeSoto, Webster|author=Vickie Welborn|date=August 21, 2014|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=August 22, 2014}}</ref> Davis won a narrow victory over Odom.

 

==References==

==References==

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