Races include JP Precinct 2
Early voting in the May 24 Primary Runoff elections started Monday with 211 voting in-person as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
These run-off elections are set to decide elections that were too close to call from the March primary elections. Those who voted in the Republican or Democratic primary in March may not cast ballots in the other party’s run-off.
Early voting is being held at the Erath County Courthouse and Patrick Street Church of Chris from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday.
The polls will be open on election day (Tuesday) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the County Courthouse, the Patrick St. Church of Christ, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Center (1229 US Hwy 281) in Stephenville and Texas Bank (988 Wolfe Nursery Rd.) in Stephenville.
Republican voters in Precinct 2 will be deciding between Chris Evans and David Martin for Justice of the Peace (see profiles below) while all Erath voters will be deciding in the Republican Primary Run-off will be casting ballots in the following state races for candidates in the November elections: Ken Paxton or George P. Bush for Attorney General; Dawn Buckingham or Tim Westley for Commissioner of the General Land Office; Wayne Christian or Sarah Stogner for Railroad Commissioner.
Erath voters casting ballots in the Democratic Primary Run-off have the following candidate races to decide: Mike Collier or Michelle Beckley for Lieutenant Governor; Joe Jaworski or Rochelle Mercedes Garza for Attorney General; Janet T. Dudding or Angel Luis Vega for Comptroller of Public Accounts; Sandragrace Martinez or Jay Klieberg for Commissioner of the General Land Office.
Chris Evans
During the Erath County Republican Candidate Forum in January, Dubliner and Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 candidate Chris Evans said he’s been in the area almost all his life and seen the community come together through all sorts of hardships. “That’s where I live and that’s who I want to serve,” Evans said.
Evans said in applying for the job as JP, it’s the voters and people of Precinct 2 who will be his boss and decide if he’s hired. He encourages any with questions about his candidacy to reach out or look into his track record as a resident of Erath County and businessman in performing contract work and excavation services for local funeral homes.
Evans can also turn to his educational background for some of his understanding about what the position entails.
“Having a bachelor’s degree from A&M in political science, there’s a whole lot of the workings of the local government that I already understand,” said Evans, although he said a public servant’s commitment to the people he serves is what’s most vital. “We need somebody who stays here and is local; someone who is committed and dedicated to the people of this community.”
“I don’t have higher ambitions or any other place I want to be; I want to be the JP for Precinct 2,” he affirmed.
“Erath is the best community I’ve ever been in,” he said. “I’ve never had a problem where I didn’t have people ask me if I needed anything. “I’ve never been broken down on the side of the road where I didn’t have a friend ask if they could help.”
This community spirit is what originally inspired him to raise his daughters, Heidi, Hannah, Rebekah and Ruth in Erath county.
He referenced attending game nights at Lingleville and Dublin or Sunday morning church services and said “you just see the community come together.”
Evans vows to be as approachable as JP as he is a neighbor. “You need someone you know and you can talk to,” he said of the JP position “You need someone who will help you find justice when you need it.”
David Martin
As someone who has worked in public service for many years, Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 candidate and Erath County native David Martin saw the decision to run as natural but he didn’t rush into it.
“I retired 8 years ago from public service,” he said. “I came up with a lot of excuses of why not to run but God moved them out of the way. You don’t fight what’s right in front of you so I decided to file.”
Martin was born and raised in Stephenville and graduated from Stephenville High School before attending to Tarleton. After marrying his wife, Rose, the couple moved to Albany, where Davis went to work for Lamb’s Head Ranch.
When they moved back, they settled in Precinct 2, where they have lived for the last 35-40 years and raised four children, who are now grown and married. They are the proud parents of Todd and Jessica Philips, Cheryl and Jeremy Van Dyke, Emily and Tyler Howle, and Krista and Stephen Colby and are the proud grandparents of 10.
Rose and David are also founding members of the Double N Cowboy Church, where David has served in several capacities- as an elder, as a member of the security team and in helping out with services and events like play days.
In 1989, David was hired on as a field inspector for the Texas Animal Health Commission and served the TAHC for several years, retiring as a supervisor for the region.
One of the most difficult parts of David’s work with the TAHC was delivering bad news and rulings, but he said he learned early to talk to people openly and compassionately.
“If you talk with people the right way from the start, they’ll work with you,” he said.
Martin admits that serving as JP would be a new experience for him but so was his work with TAHC and he dove headfirst into that work, learning all of the laws and responsibilities.
“I don’t know whether I’ll be good at this job or not, but I’ll sure give it everything I’ve got,” Martin said.