Voters chose Dallas incumbent Councilman Kelly Carter and Hiram Post 5 candidate Earlene Graham in municipal elections Nov, 3, and Teresa (Laird) Philyaw and Billy Sims Jr. are in a runoff Dec. 1 for the Hiram Post 3 council seat.

Sims led the Post 3 balloting with 57 (43.51 percent) of the 131 votes cast in the race, Philyaw was two votes behind with 55 (41.98 percent) and Stephen S. Bray garnered 19 votes, forcing a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes. Candidates must receive 50 percent plus one vote to avoid a runoff.

Early voting for the runoff will be Nov. 23-25, and Hiram voters will return to their community center the first Tuesday in December to decide who will represent Post 3 beginning in January.

Graham won her first political race Tuesday, taking 77 votes (60.16 percent) to Linda E. (Meg) Hunt-Williams’ 50 votes. Graham and Derrick Battle, who was unopposed in the Hiram Post 4 race, will take their oaths of office in January.

Carter received 159 votes (67.66 percent) in the Dallas Ward 1 race, holding off a challenge from political newcomer Terry D. Johnson, who had 76 votes. Griffin White in Ward 3 and Nancy Rakestraw Arnold in the at-large seat were unopposed for re-election.