Missouri City Council Race: Pearson To Seek Recount

MISSOURI CITY, TX — The race for the District A seat on the City Council of Missouri City isn't quite over yet.

Reginald Pearson intends to ask for a recount of the tightly-contested race, he told Patch in an email Tuesday.

Pearson trailed Monica Riley by just three votes — 391 to 388 — after unofficial results were posted from Saturday's runoff election with all precincts reporting in both Fort Bend and Harris Counties.

Fort Bend County had only one late arriving ballot by mail, which was received and counted Monday before the certified results were sent from the county to Missouri City, Fort Bend County Elections Administrator John Oldham told Patch on Monday.

Pearson will have to petition Missouri City for a recount as automatic recounts are triggered only in the case of a tie, Oldham said.

Riley did not immediately answer a phone request for comment.

Riley and Pearson advanced to the runoff election from a three-candidate race to replace Councilwoman Cheryl Sterling, who opted not to seek re-election. In the Nov. 2 election, Riley and Pearson were the top two finishers in a tight race that separated them by six votes. Riley had 591 votes, followed by Pearson with 585 and Bruce Zaborowski with 86.