The first day of early voting in the Party Primary runoff elections concluded Monday with 121 total ballots casts in Hopkins County, 106 cast in the Republican Primary Runoff and 15 in the Democratic Primary Runoff. Governor Greg Abbott on March 20 issued a proclamation postponing runoff elections across the state from May until July due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Early voting in the party primary runoff elections will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 29-Friday, July 10, in the Justice of Peace 2 Courtroom inside the Hopkins County Courthouse Annex Building (which houses the tax office and justice of the peace offices), located at 128 Jefferson St. in Sulphur Springs.
No voting will be conducted on either July 3 or July 4 in observance of the federal/state holiday.
On Primary Runoff Election Day, July 14, voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the four consolidated voting centers.
Click here to learn more about requirements for voting by mail in Texas. The last day applications for ballots by mail will be accepted is Thursday, July 2. The deadline to receive ballots by mail is July 14.
County Clerk Tracy Smith serves as early voting clerk; she may be contacted at her office at 128 Jefferson St., Suite C, Sulphur Springs; by phone at 903-438-4074; fax at 903-438-4110; or email at [email protected].
Republican Runoff
Forty voters cast ballots in the Republican Primary Runoff Monday morning, and 66 ballots were cast after lunch during the first day of early voting in the party primary runoffs, according to the running total posted by Election Judge Michael Wolfe.
State Representative, District 2
Hopkins County voters casting ballots in the Republican primary are asked to choose between incumbent Dan Flynn and challenger Bryan Slaton to serve as State Representative for District 2, which encompasses Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties.
The March primary concluded with Flynn receiving 12,246 votes or 44.76 percent of the overall votes 27,358 ballots cast in the District 2 State Representative Election. Slaton finished in second place with 9,889 voters or 26.15 percent and Dwayne “Doc” Collins received 5,223 votes or 19.09 percent of the overall ballots cast, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The winner of the Republican nomination for District 2 State Representative will face Democrat Bill Brannon in the General Election in November. Brannon, unchallenged for the party nomination, receive 4,408 votes in March.
Democratic Runoff
In the Democratic Primary, 11 voters cast ballots Monday morning, June 29, and 5 more voted in the afternoon, according to the running total posted by the presiding election judge.
Democratic voters in Hopkins County are asked to select their choices in two elections, Railroad Commissioner and United States Senator
Railroad Commissioner
Democratic candidates for Railroad Commissioner are Roberto R. “Beto” Alonzo or Chrysta Castañeda. Railroad Commissioners are elected statewide to six-year, staggered terms.
In the March primary for Railroad Commissioner, Castañeda received 598,639 votes or 33.85 percent of all Democratic ballots cast in the primary and Alonzo received 506,748 votes or 28.65 percent. The came in ahead of 2 challengers: Mark Watson who received 279,911 votes (15.83 percent) and Kelly Stone who received 383,453 votes (21.68 percent).
The winner of the Democratic nomination for Railroad Commissioner will face Republican James “Jim” Wright on the ballot in November. Wright defeated incumbent Ryan Sitton, 991,593 to 80,1904 votes or 55.29 percent to Sitton’s 4.71 percent.
US Senator
Democratic candidates on the July primary runoff ballot for United States Senator are Royce West and Mary “MJ” Hegar.
Hegar and and West lead in the March 3 Democratic Party Primary for US Senator, a ticket that included a dozen candidates. Hegar received 417,160 votes or 22.31 percent of the overall ballots cast. West received 274,074 or 14.66 percent overall. Additional Democratic results from the March Democratic primary for US Senator, as reported by the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, were as follows:
- Chris Bell, 159,751 votes (8.55 percent)
- Michael Cooper 92,463 votes (4.95 percent)
- Amanda K. Edward 189,624 votes (10.14)
- Jack Daniel Foster Jr. 31,718 votes (1.7 percent)
- Annie “Mamá” Garcia 191,900 votes (10.27 percent)
- Victor Hugo Harris 59,710 votes (3.19 percent)
- Sema Hernandez 137,892 votes (7.38 percent)
- D. R. Hunter 26,902 votes (1.44 perent)
- Adrian Ocegueda 41,566 votes (2.22 percent)
- Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez 246,659 votes (13.19 percent)
The Democratic Party winner will face incumbent John Cornyn on the November election ballot. Cornyn defeated challengers Virgil Bierschwale, John Anthony Castro, Dwayne Stovall and Mark Yancey in the March Republican Primary for US Senator.
Cornyn received 1,470,669 or 76.04 percent of the overall Republican ballots cast for US Senator. Bierschwale received 20,494 votes (1.06 percent), Castro 86,916 votes (4.49 percent), Stovall 231,104 votes (11.95 percent) and Yancey 124,864 votes (6.46 percent) in the Republican Party Primary Election for US Senator candidate.
