Dateline: May 20, 2004

Hospital, school board, city members all win re-election

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Local incumbents were returned to office in all races last Saturday when Donley County voters went to the polls.

Despite being the most talked about race, only 25 percent of registered voters cast ballots for candidates running for the Donley County Hospital Board, which was the only countywide election.

Three current members of the hospital board were re-elected. In Place 5, Carolyn Moffett defeated challenger Linda Kay Bell, 336-307.  Place 6 director Onita Thomas won more votes than any other hospital board candidate in her 436-208 re-election victory over Don Stone, and Jim Douglas posted the narrowest win when he beat June Davis, 329-307, for the Place 7 position.

In the race to fill the Place 4 seat formerly held by the late Jerry May, Pat McAnear defeated Kelly Tunnell by a margin of 416 to 222.

A total of 652 votes were cast in the hospital board election.

Clarendon voters also decided to keep their current city leaders on the job as three incumbent aldermen were returned to the board. Alderman Mark White received the most votes, 242, followed by Aldermen Tommy Hill and Janice Knorpp with 195 each.

Also on the city ballot were Ray Hamilton (147), Ron Lamberth (129), and William “Bill” Holden (78). A total of 343 citizens voted in the municipal election, a turnout of 27.5 percent.

Hedley residents also like their city leaders. Mayor Janie Hill, running unopposed, received 60 votes; and Aldermen Terry Stevens and Leon Ward were re-elected with 39 and 54 votes respectively. Challenger Pamela Casteel received only 27 votes.

Sixty-six Hedley voters cast ballots in that city’s election, a turnout of 30 percent.

Voters in the Clarendon Independent School District returned three members of the Board of Trustees to their offices. James Shelton received the most votes with 376, followed by Reneé Betts with 361 and Marvin Thompson with 315.  Challenger Judy Thomas received 164 votes out of the 428 ballots cast.

Hedley Independent School District voters re-elected two current members and added a new face to their Board of Trustees. Incumbent Marlee Sharp led the count with 80 votes, and incumbent Jason Sargent had 78. Abby O’Neal was elected with 68 votes, and Rex Morris will not be joining the board after receiving only 56 of the 102 votes cast.