GROVETON – Early voting for the April 8 Democratic Party runoff election between Sheriff Steven Jones and challenger Brent Lee will run from Monday, March 31, through Friday, April 4.
Early voting by personal appearance will be held at the Trinity City Hall, the Trinity County Courthouse in Groveton and the Apple Springs Volunteer Fire Station.
Voting hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to Trinity County Democratic Chairman Fredie Chapman, only voters who voted in the March 4 Democratic primary or those who did not vote at all are eligible to cast ballots on April 8. Those who voted in the Republican Party primary may not participate in the runoff election.
During the March 4 ballot, Lee received 2,046 votes, or 42.6 percent of the total cast. Jones garnered 1,890 votes or 39.3 percent to finish in second.
The third candidate in the race, Pct. 2 Constable Richard “Ricky” Hortman finished with 871 votes or 18.1 percent and did not qualify for the runoff.
Under the rules of the election, a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote in order to win the party’s nomination for the office.
The winner of the April 8 runoff vote will advance to the November general election. Because there is no Republican candidate for sheriff, the Democratic Party nominee is expected to be unopposed in November.

Chapman also announced that on Tuesday, April 8, the county’s 19 polling places will be combined into eight locations. Voting hours on election day will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The following is a listing of the combined box locations:
• Box 1 will vote at Groveton High School.
• Boxes 2, 3 & 14 will vote at the Box 2 locate at Chita Baptist Church.
• Boxes 11 and 17 will vote at the Box 17 location at the Trinity Community Center.
• Boxes 4, 5 & 19 will vote at the Box 19 location at Trinity City Hall.
• Boxes 6 & 12 will vote at the Box 6 location at the Friday Community Center.
• Boxes 7 & 15 will vote at the Box 15 location at Possum Walk Church.
• Boxes 8, 9 & 18 will vote at the Box 9 location at the Apple Springs Volunteer Fire Station.
• Boxes 10, 16 and 20 will vote at the Box 16 location at the Baldwin Chapel Church.