COLDSPRING – Results of local precinct races in San Jacinto County saw upsets for two incumbents who lost their bids for re-election in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary.
In Pct. 2, Constable Jerry Everitt lost his bid for re-election to Tom Yates. Everitt, who has served as constable since 1996, received 387 votes while Yates had 446 votes. Yates will not have a Republican opponent in the November General Election and will take office Jan. 1, 2009. Yates is currently serving his 25th year with the Cleveland Police Department.
In Pct. 4, Alvin Wyatt easily beat incumbent Lou Rogers for constable. Rogers has served as constable since 1996. Wyatt garnered 1,108 votes to Rogers’ 471 votes. Wyatt will not have a Republican opponent in November and will take office Jan. 1, 2009.
In other precinct races on the Democratic ballot, Laddie McAnally won the race for Pct. 1 Commissioner with 417 votes to 380 votes for opponent Dale Smith. McAnally faces Michael Griffith on the Republican ballot in November. Griffith received 207 votes although he has made a public announcement that he will not seek re-election in November.
In the Pct. 3 Commissioner’s race, incumbent David Brandon received 260 votes on the Republican ballot. He will face James “Butch” Moody in November. Moody won the Democratic bid for Pct. 3 Commissioner with 530 votes while opponent Thomas Bonds got 509 votes.
On the national level, San Jacinto County Democrats favored Hillary Clinton for president as did most other Texans. Countywide, Hillary carried the election with 2,475 votes while Barack Obama received 1,462 votes in San Jacinto County.
County Republicans favored John McCain with 691 votes while Mike Huckabee got 653 votes in San Jacinto County for U.S. President.
Republicans also cast ballots on immigration, photo identification and controlling government growth referendums.
A total of 1,394 voted in favor of federal, state and local officials being required to enforce U.S. immigration laws in order to secure our borders, while 22 voted against the referendum.
A referendum to have the Texas Legislature make it a priority to protect the integrity of our election process by enacting legislation that requires voters to provide valid photo identification in order to cast a ballot in any and all elections conducted in the State of Texas had 1,344 votes for and 87 votes against.
A referendum favoring every governmental body in Texas being required to limit any annual increase in its budget and spending to the combined increase of population and inflation unless it first gets voter approval to exceed the allowed annual growth or in the case of an official state of emergency received 1,327 votes for and 78 votes against.