Dateline: March 21, 2002

No surprises from primary elections 

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Everyone was a winner when the results of local primary balloting were totaled last Tuesday night… but then no one had an opponent either.

Turnout was light as 260 Donley County citizens voted in the Democratic Primary and 190 voted in the Republican Primary. The combined total represented less than 18 percent of local registered voters.

In Democratic polling, incumbent County Judge Jack Hall captured 226 votes or 86.9 percent of the votes cast, incumbent County/District Clerk Fay Vargas received 218 votes or 83.8 percent, and county treasurer candidate Vicki L. Sloan received 162 votes or 62.3 percent. Incumbent Precinct 4 Commissioner Bobby G. “Bob” Trout received 42 votes, and incumbent Precinct 3&4 Justice of the Peace Ann Kennedy got 114.

Jean Taylor was handily re-elected as Democratic County Chair with 202 votes. Trey Chamberlain, Wanda Seap, Jimmy Swinney, and Willard Skelton each received one write-in vote.

On the GOP ticket, county judge candidate Jimmy Thompson received 101 votes or 53.2 percent of votes cast, county/district clerk candidate Vicki Knowles got 130 votes or 68.4 percent, and incumbent County Treasurer Becky Jackson received 146 votes or 76.8 percent. Incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Donnie Hall received 58 votes, and Precinct 4 commissioner candidate Wayne I. Riggs received 25 votes. Incumbent Precinct 1&2 Justice of the Peace Jimmy B. Johnson received 79 votes.

Rogers Hester will serve as Republican County Chair again, getting 135 votes. Helen Land, Mary Douglas, Barbara Helms, Democratic County Commissioner Buster Shields, and “Someone Else” each received one write-in vote.

Local Republicans approved of the non-binding ballot question calling for protecting the right to pray in public by a margin of 113 to 44.

Winning candidates of local primaries will face off this fall in the November General Election.

Democrats across the state will return to the polls April 9 to decide a runoff election between Ron Kirk and Victor Morales for the US Senate candidacy. Early voting will be held April 1-5.