Seadrift Mayor Reveals Population Decline at Candidates Forum

Cathey says city has lost around 1,000 residents in the past year ahead of upcoming local election.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 9:49pm

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Seadrift Mayor William Cathey announced at a candidates forum on Tuesday night that the city has lost approximately 1,000 residents over the past year. The forum, which lasted over two hours, featured five city council candidates taking questions from voters on how the city can help residents more and attract new businesses.

Why it matters

Seadrift's population decline is a significant issue for the upcoming local election, as the next city council will need to address the factors driving residents to leave and find ways to revitalize the community and economy.

The details

During the candidate forum at Seadrift City Hall, Mayor Cathey revealed the city has lost around 1,000 residents in the last year. The forum featured five city council candidates - Alysa Jarvis, Rainier Bringham, and Deedee McGee running for one-year terms, and Karen Neal and Tracy Doss running for two-year terms. Residents asked the candidates questions about how the city council can better support the community and attract new businesses to Seadrift.

  • The candidate forum took place on Tuesday night.
  • Election Day in Seadrift is on May 2.

The players

William Cathey

The mayor of Seadrift, Texas who revealed the city's population decline at the candidate forum.

Alysa Jarvis

A candidate running for a one-year term on the Seadrift City Council.

Rainier Bringham

A candidate running for a one-year term on the Seadrift City Council.

Deedee McGee

A candidate running for a one-year term on the Seadrift City Council.

Karen Neal

A candidate running for a two-year term on the Seadrift City Council.

Tracy Doss

A candidate running for a two-year term on the Seadrift City Council.

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What they’re saying

“I had the honor of being the moderator for the meeting, which lasted over two hours.”

— Don Brubaker, Moderator

What’s next

Election Day in Seadrift is on May 2, when voters will choose the new city council members who will need to address the city's population decline.

The takeaway

Seadrift's population loss of around 1,000 residents over the past year is a major issue that the next city council will have to confront, as they work to retain residents and attract new businesses and economic opportunities to the community.