Business owner Perry Brown won the Educational District 3 seat on the Lincoln County School District’s Board of Trustees Tuesday.

Brown, who owns Brown Forestry, defeated Brian Magee 295 to 230 votes in unofficial results.The two men faced each other in a special election runoff for the seat to fill the unexpired term of Ricky Welch, who resigned Sept. 10, 2018. Magee, a Navy veteran and technology professional was appointed to replace Welch until a trustee could be elected. 

Only 1,900 of the voters in eight precincts — Arlington, Bogue Chitto, Enterprise, Forrestry, Johnson, Johnson Grove, Norfield and Old Brook — were eligible to vote in the ED3 runoff. Slightly more than 500 went to the polls.

Magee made history when he was appointed in October 2018, becoming the first-ever black representative to serve on the county school board.

Superintendent Mickey Myers said this election will help get the trustees’ terms back on schedule. Brown will be the ED 3 trustee for one year until it’s time for the general election.

Brown will be sworn in at the next the regularly scheduled board meeting Dec. 16.

There will be a general election for a full six-year term in November 2020.

Brown will serve with with ED1 Trustee Justin Laird, ED2 Trustee and President Billy Vaughn, ED4 Trustee Dianne Gill and ED5 Trustee Tim Cunningham.