Dateline: October 31, 2002

Citizens heading to polls next Tuesday

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Donley County residents will go to the polls next Tuesday to cast ballots in contentious local races as well as voting for statewide offices.

The General Election will be held November 5, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting by personal appearance continues through Friday, November 1, in the Courthouse Annex.

As of early Monday afternoon, 247 people had cast early or mail-in ballots, according to the Donley County Clerk’s office. That number is down considerably from the same point in the 2000 general election, in which 374 people had voted eight days before the election.

On the local level this year, incumbent Democrat Jack Hall is facing Republican challenger Jimmy Thompson for the office of County Judge. Incumbent County Treasurer Becky Jackson, a Republican, goes up against Democrat Vicki Sloan, and incumbent Democrat Fay Vargas squares off against Republican Vicki Knowles for County & District Clerk.

Precinct 4 voters also have the choice between incumbent Bob Trout, a Democrat, and challenger Wayne Riggs for the office of county commissioner.

Local officials running unopposed for re-election this year are Precinct 1&2 Justice of the Peace Jimmy Johnson (R), Precinct 3&4 Justice of the Peace Ann Kennedy (D), and Precinct 2 Commissioner Don Hall (R).

Also of interest to local voters is a proposed state constitutional amendment regarding county constables. HJR 2 would amend the constitution to allow the commissioners’ court of a county to declare the office of constable dormant if that office has been vacant for at least seven consecutive years. If declared vacant under the proposed law, a dormant office could only be reactivated by the commissioners’ court or by a vote of the people of the county.

Donley and other counties have been in legal battles in recent years over the issue of constables.

Polling places for this year’s General Election are as follows: Box 101 – Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center, Box 102 – Howardwick City Hall, Box 103 – Martin Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, Box 201 – Clarendon Lions Club, Box 301 – Clarendon Community Center - Rodeo Grounds, Box 302 – Paymaster Gin - Lelia Lake, Box 303 – Hedley Lions Club, Box 401 – Community Bank, and Box 402 – McClellan House. Check your voter’s registration card to see which precinct box you should vote in.

Complete results will be printed in next week’s Enterprise. A sample ballot and candidate profiles are being published in this week’s paper.