Nov. 2, 2021 Election Canvassing: Cumby Alderman Place 4 Determined

Commissioners Canvass Hopkins County Votes In 2021 Constitutional Amendment Election

The tie between Katherine Flinn and Allie Crocker for Cumby Alderman Place 4 has been determined, and the county results for the Nov. 2, 2021 Constitutional Amendment Election had been canvassed by county officials as of Tuesday morning Nov. 16, 2021.

Cumby City Council

In Cumby, both Allie Crocker and Katherine Flinn received exactly 50 percent of the votes (22 each) cast in the Nov. 2 Election for Place 4 Alderman. That would normally trigger a runoff, however, in order to save the city the cost of a runoff election, it was determined casting of lots would be used to determine who serves in Place 4 on Cumby City Council.

Under amended election law, if a recount does not resolve a tie, the tied candidates may (1) cast lots not later than the day before the date the authority must order the second election; or (2) withdraw from the election not later than 5 p.m. of the day after the date the automatic recount is held. (Tex. Elec. Code § 2.002).

Cumby City Council called a special meeting on Nov. 14 to canvass election results and casting of lots. After votes were canvassed, casting of lots for Place 4 was conducted by candidates.

The result is that Allie Crocker will serve as Alderman in Place 4 on the City Council; all required election documents had been sent to the county election official, County Clerk Tracy Smith, by Tuesday morning, Nov. 16, 2021, Cumby Interim City Secretary Betty Jo Hardman reported early Tuesday morning.

Ryan Horne was unchallenged for Place 5 Alderman, but did receive a total of 26 votes, the most cast for any candidate in the Nov. 2, 2021 Cumby City Council Election. He received five votes during early voting and 21 on Election Day, and there were three undervotes for Place 5 as well, according to the election results reported Nov. 15 by county election officials. Undervotes, according to Smith, occur when votes cast ballots but opt not to vote for that place or proposition on their ballot, they leave it blank.

Wayne Mobley also did not draw an opponent for Place 3 on the City Council. Like the Place 4 candidates, Mobley received 22 votes, three during early voting and 19 on Election Day, with seven “undervotes,” according to the unofficial Nov. 2 election data.

Constitutional Amendments Election

County Clerk Tracy Smith Monday morning told Hopkins County Commissioners Court that the only difference between the Election results posted after all local results were in Nov. 2, 2021, and Nov. 15, 2021 was one provisional vote which came in after that date. The Commissioners Court had planned to canvass the votes during last week’s court session, but because the law required giving an additional day for certain mail ballots to come in, they were unable to do so at that time.

A total of 1,458 ballots were cast in Hopkins County for the eight proposed amendments to Texas’ Constitution. That’s roughly 5 percent of the 24,151 registered voters in Hopkins County voting in the Nov. 2, 2021, amendments election. Overall, 380 ballots were cast by Hopkins County voters during the early voting period, another 1,058 on Election Day, 19 were cast by mail and one provisional ballot was cast.

Of the 12 voting centers open on Nov. 2, a total of 252 votes were cast at Hopkins County Courthouse – more than any other location, with League Street Church of Christ second with 145 votes cast and Miller Grove third with 102 votes.

North Hopkins ISD

North Hopkins ISD held a Nov. 2 Election to determine 2 places on the school board. NHISD Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Nov. 8, during votes were canvassed in the election.

Jennifer Harrington received a total of 58 votes, giving her 28.16 percent of overall votes cast. Ellis Dicus received 57 votes, giving him 27.67 percent of ballots cast on Nov. 2, 2021. Robert McPherson received 46 votes or 22.33 percent and Michael S. James received 45 votes or 21.84 percent. A total of 94 NHISD residents also were counted as undervotes, that is the voters opted not to select their choice of up to two candidates to serve on the school board.

The election was for two at-large, full three-year term seats on the school board. Harrington and Dicus finished ahead of the two other candidates.