Managing Editor
Early voting starts Monday, Feb. 14 in the March 1 Republican and Democratic primary elections, offering those in the Republican primary a chance to decide on local elections, state elections and propositions while those voting in the Democratic primary have several state races in which to decide.
Voters can vote in either primary but are ineligible to vote in both. Voters in one primary can also not vote in a run-off election of the other party, should one occur. Winners of the primaries will be on the ballot in the November 8, 2022 elections.
Sample ballots can be found on the Erath County website at https://www.co. erath.tx.us/186/Current-Elections. (Candidates and ballot items are listed at the jump.)
Early voting will be held in Stephenville at the Erath County Courthouse and in Dublin at the Patrick Street Church of Christ (630 N. Patrick). Hours for the courthouse are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 14-Feb. 18, noon to 4 p.m. on Feb. 19, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25. Hours at the Patrick Street Church of Christ are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.
Polls will be open at those locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 1 as will polls at the Lingleville School Building, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Center (1229 N. Highway 281, Stephenville), Morgan Mill Community Center, Texas Bank (988 Wolfe Nursery Rd., Stephenville), Selden Community Center, United Cooperative Services (1200 Glen Rose Highway), Bluff Dale Community Center and Huckabay Community Center.
Local candidates who have filed in the Republican elections include:
Erath County Judge
Alfonso Campos (incumbent)
Brandon Huckabee (challenger)
Erath County Treasurer
Kimberly Dowell Barrier (incumbent) Angie Shawver
Angie Shawver (challenger)
Justice of the Peace Pct. 2
Darrell Curry
Chris Evans
Chance Garrett
David Martin
Justice of the Peace Pct. 1,3,4
Jeff “Chilli” Alexander
Gregory Evans
Jocelyn Perez
Lisa Williams
Uncontested local Races
Commissioner Pct. 2 - Albert Ray
Commissioner Pct. 4 - Jim Buck
Blake Thompson - County Court at Law Judge
Gwinda Jones - County Clerk
Wanda Greer - District Clerk
Jason Cashon - District Judge
Dave Washam, County Chair
The only Republican Federal race is the uncontested election of Roger Williams for U.S. Representative, District 25
Statewide Republican races include the following:
Governor
Greg Abbott (incumbent) Paul Belew
Danny Harrison
Kandy Kaye Horn
Don Huffines
Rick Perry*
Chad Prather
Allen West
Trayce Bradford
Lt. Governor
Todd M. Bullis
Daniel Miller Dan Patrick Incumbent
Dan Patrick Incumbent
Aaron Sorrells
Zach Vance
Attorney General
George P. Bush
Louie Gohmert
Eva Guzman
Ken Paxton
Land Commissioner
Ben Armenta
Victor Avila
Dawn Buckingham
Rufus Lopez
Weston Martinez
Don W. Minton Jon Spiers
Jon Spiers
Tim Westley
Agriculture Commissioner
Carey A. Counsil
Sid Miller Incumbent
James White
Comptroller
Mark V. Goloby
Glenn Hegar Railroad Commissioner
Railroad Commissioner
Wayne Christian Incumbent
Tom Slocum Jr.
Sarah Stogner
Marvin “Sarge” Summers
Dawayne Tipton
Supreme Court Justice, Place 3
Debra Lehrmann
Supreme Court Justice, Place 5
Rebeca Huddle
Supreme Court Justice, Place 9
Evan Young
David J. Schenck
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2
Mary Lou Keel
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Clint Morgan
Scott Walker
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
Jesse F. McClure, Ill
Member, State Board of Education, District 14
Sue Melton-Malone
Evelyn Brooks
State Senator, District 22
Brian Birdwell
State Representative, District 59
Shelby Slawson
Justice, 11th Court of Appeals District, Place 3
W. Stacy Trotter
Republican voters also have the following 10 propositions to vote YES or NO on:
1.) In light of the federal government’s refusal to defend the southern border, Texas should immediately deploy the National Guard, Texas Military Forces, and necessary state law enforcement to seal the border, enforce immigration laws, and deport illegal aliens.
2.) Texas should eliminate all property taxes within ten (10) years without implementing a state income tax.
3.) Texans should not lose their jobs, nor should students be penalized, for declining a COVID-19 vaccine.
4.) Texas schools should teach students basic knowledge and American exceptionalism and reject Critical Race Theory and other curricula that promote Marxist doctrine and encourage division based on creed, race, or economic status.
5.) Texas should enact a State Constitutional Amendment to defend the sanctity of innocent human life, created in the image of God, from fertilization until natural death.
6.) The Republicancontrolled Texas Legislature should end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats.
7.) Texas should protect the integrity of our elections by verifying that registered voters are American citizens, restoring felony penalties and enacting civil penalties for vote fraud, and fighting any federal takeover of state elections.
8.) Texas should ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for sex transition purposes.
9.) Texas parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding should follow the student.
10.) Texans affirm that our freedoms come from God and that the government should have no control over the conscience of individuals.
Democratic voters have the following state races to decide:
Governor
Inocencio “Inno” Barrientez
Michael Cooper
Joy Diaz
Beto O’Rourke
Rich Wakeland
Lt. Governor Michelle Beckley
Michelle Beckley
Carla Brailey
Mike Collier
Attorney General
Mike Fields
Rochelle Garza
Joe Jaworski
Lee Merritt
S. “T-Bone” Raynor
Land Commissioner
Jay Kleberg
Michael Lange
Sandragrace Martinez Jinny Suh
Jinny Suh
Agriculture Commissioner
Susan Hays
Ed Ireson
Comptroller
Janet T. Dudding
Tim Mahoney
Angel Luis Vega
Railroad Commissioner
Luke Warford
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3
Erin A. Nowell
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5
Amanda Reicheck
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9
Julia Maldonado
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
Dana Huffman
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
Robert Johnson
Member, State Board of Education, District 14
Tracy Fisher
There is also an uncontested race for Moumin Quazi as County Chair in the Democratic Primary.