Tuesday first day to cast ballots for primary races
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

After weeks of watching other states cast their ballots, Texas' turn to make their voices heard in the election primaries arrives Tuesday with the start of early voting by personal appearance.

The early voting runs from Feb. 19- 29 and offered in both El Campo and Wharton.

The El Campo location is the El Campo Fire and EMS Building, 220 Merchant, using the Hillje entrance. Regular voting hours are Monday- Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extended weekday voting hours will be the last two days of early voting, Feb. 28-29 and extend from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There will also be two days of weekend voting, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-24. Saturday voting will be from 9 a.m. to noon with the Sunday voting from noon to 3 p.m.

In Wharton, the early voting will be held at the Wharton Civic Center at 1924 N. Fulton. The same weekday, extended and weekend voting hours apply.

County residents can vote early at either of the county locations.

Applications for ballots by mail should be mailed to Wharton County Elections Administrator Judy Owens, who is serving as the early voting clerk, at P.O. Box 390, Wharton, Texas 77488.

Each of the local primaries will have contested races for their respective party's nomination for District Attorney. The Democratic Party candidates are Wharton attorneys John C. Maher Jr. and John Roades. The Republican DA race has incumbent Josh McCown being challenged by El Campo Attorney Dawn Allison.

While unopposed in the primary, several candidates will be in contested races in the November general election. Those include Constable Precinct 4 featuring Democratic incumbent Shawn Ferguson challenged by Republican candidate Thomas Drapela.

Others are Commissioner Precinct 1 where Incumbent Mickey Reynolds is the Republican candidate and will be opposed by Democrat Leroy Dettling as well as Constable Precinct 1 with incumbent Democrat Donald Barbee opposed by Republican Dale Potter.

Those unopposed in both the primary and general election include Republicans 329th District Judge Randy Clapp, Sheriff Jess Howell; County Attorney G.A. "Trey" Maffett; Precinct 3 Commissioner Philip Miller and Precinct 4 Constable Lowell Howard. In the Democratic Party, unopposed candidate include Tax Assessor-Collector Patrick Kubala and Precinct 2 Constable J.A. Szymanski. All are incumbent office holders.

In looking at the federal offices on the ballot, incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn will be opposed in the Republican Primary by Mansfield consultant Larry Kilgore for the party's nomination. Four Democrats, Gene Kelly, Ray McMurrey, Rick Noriega and Rhett R. Smith have filed for the primary.

Incumbent U.S. Representative 14th District and presidential hopeful Ron Paul is opposed in the Republican primary by Chris Peden, a CPA from Friendswood. No candidates filed for the position in the Democratic Primary.

At the state level, Texas House Representative District 28 John Zerwas did not have an opponent file in the Republican Primary. Dorothy Bottos filed as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the position.

The last day to file as a candidate was Jan. 2.

For more candidate or voting information, the Texas Secretary of State Web site is www.sos.state.tx.us/elections.