WOODVILLE – On Monday, Tyler County Judge Milton Powers announced that Donna Jean Hudson has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by her late husband Charles “Buck” Hudson, as Pct. 4 Commissioner.
“I am confident that Mrs. Hudson will serve the citizens of Precinct 4 with dedication and integrity,” Powers said.
Donna Hudson’s appointment was made effective as of Monday, June 1, and attested by the County Clerk’s office.
She will serve as commissioner until the November general election, and until a successor is duly elected and qualified, under state law. She qualified for the office, Judge Powers said, by taking the official oath and executing the bond required by law.
Buck Hudson died last month at the age of 62 after a long life in public service, first as an educator, then as a member of Tyler County’s governing body, which he served in since 2018. Her ran unopposed as a Republican in the March party primary.
Under the state’s Local Government Code, the county judge is authorized to fill commissioner vacancies by appointment.
The county’s Republican Party chair, Robert “Chappy” Poynter, said that if anyone is looking to fill the position and be on the ballot for November, they have until August 23 to file all the necessary paperwork and filing fees with the County Clerk’s office, which then has to be certified and turned into the Secretary of State Jane Nelson by August 26.
Poynter said that hopefuls must meet with him and the County Executive Committee in the “very near future” in order to discuss qualifications and plans to enhance the lives of voters, respective to the office sought. “We will also be taking input from the community on those candidates,” he said. The County Executive Committee (CEC) is comprised of Poynter and the GOP Precinct Chairs of the county.
Poynter encouraged anyone intending to file for the positions to contact him so that he and the CEC would know what to, or what not to expect, and encouraged anyone interested to attend the GOP County Chair’s meetings to meet with the CEC, as they will be the ones making the decisions as to who will end up on the November ballot in accordance with the state’s election laws.
Poynter can be reached by phone at 281-661-0035.
