Councilman will fight incumbent for Port Royal mayor’s job. Here’s a look at the ballot
Councilman Kevin Phillips and Mayor Joe DeVito will square off in the Nov. 7 election for the Port Royal mayor’s job.
The filing deadline for the Nov. 7 election was noon Friday, and Phillips and DeVito both filed for mayor.
Phillips, an attorney, was first elected to a council seat in 2019. DeVito, a retired utility operator, was elected mayor in the same election after serving on the Planning Board for many years.
Two council positions also will be up for election, but they won’t be contested because just two people filed.
One of the seats is currently held by Phillips. The other is held Councilman Jerry Ashmore.
Ashmore, the director of workforce development and safety at The Greenery, a landscape contractor, has filed to run for a third term. Also filing for a position on the council is Jorge A. Guerrero. Guerrero, a retired Marine sergeant major, is director of talent management for ERA Evergreen Real Estate Co.
The election comes as a major waterfront redevelopment is getting underway in the town. Officials also are preparing to overhaul Paris Avenue, the main street through historic downtown. A redesign of Ribaut Road is another big project the town will tackle in the coming months with other local governments and the state.
