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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) In a little over two weeks, the early voting period will begin in the May local election. Contested elections will be on the ballot for Graham Hospital District, Newcastle ISD, Olney ISD and the city of Olney.
In a little over two weeks, early voting will begin for the May local election which has contested races across the county.
On the ballot in May will be local elections for the Graham Hospital District, Newcastle ISD, Olney ISD and the city of Olney.
Early voting in the May election will run from April 20-28 and election day will be Saturday, May 2. Voting is being held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 20 and April 22-24 and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 27-28.
Early voting locations are the Young County Annex at 417 Second St. in Graham and the Olney Civic Center at 210 S Grand Ave in Olney.
Election day voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Election day polling locations will be the two early voting locations along with First Baptist Church in Newcastle at 501 Graham St.
The last day to register to vote in the election was Thursday, April 2 and the last day to apply for a ballot by mail will be Monday, April 20.
The candidate filing period was open from Wednesday, Jan. 14 through Friday, Feb. 13. The last day to file a declaration of write-in candidacy was Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Candidate applications could be obtained and submitted for the May election from each separate county entity.
Local entities that had seats up for election in May were the city of Graham, Graham ISD, Graham Hospital District, city of Newcastle, Newcastle ISD, city of Olney, Olney ISD and Olney Hamilton Hospital District, with some entities canceling their elections.
This will be the first of two elections in May, with the second being the primary runoff election which will be held Tuesday, May 26, with early voting being held from May 18-22.
Local candidates in ballot order
Graham Hospital District Candidates
Incumbent Graham Regional Medical Center Board of Director members Wyatt Pettus, Suzy Graham and Sylvia Overton refiled along with new candidate Gary Elrod.
Board Member
Suzy Graham (I)
Gary Elrod
Sylvia Overton (I)
Wyatt Pettus (I)
Newcastle ISD Candidates
Newcastle ISD Board of Trustees member Shelly Shields filed to run for reelection along with new candidate Tina Hawkins. Board Member Anneta Buenger did not file for reelection. New candidates who filed to run for that position are JP Coop and Carla Short.
Board Member Place 6
Shelly Shields (I)
Tina Hawkins
Board Member Place 7
Carla Short
JP Coop
City of Olney Candidates
Two Olney City Council seats are up for election and six candidates filed to run for those two positions. Those candidates are Tommy Kimbro, Jackie Voyles, Terri Wipperman, Colson Ballard, Steven Kinyk and Sammy Livingston. Incumbent Rue Rogers was the sole candidate to file for the seat of mayor.
Mayor
Rue Rogers (I)
Council Member
Tommy Kimbro
Terri Wipperman (I)
Sammy Livingston
Jacqueline Voyles
Steven Kinyk
Colson Ballard
Olney ISD Candidates
Olney ISD Board of Trustees member Kyle Hinson did not file for reelection, with new candidates Kyle Turner and Jeremy Johnson filing to run for that position. Incumbent Kelly Mahler was the sole candidate to file for that board position.
Board Member Place 6
Jeremy Johnson
Kyle Turney
Board Member Place 7
Kelly Mahler (I)
Primary runoff election
Two candidates for Young County Judge and Precinct 4 Commissioner will be heading to the runoffs in May.
The runoff election will be held Tuesday, May 26 with early voting being held from May 18-22. The winners of that runoff election will be that party’s nominee in the upcoming general election Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Runoff elections include the top two candidates voted in a race that failed to receive 50% of the overall vote plus one vote, or a majority of votes.
Republican candidates running for the position of Young County Judge in the primary election were incumbent Win Graham, along with candidates Donald Sexton and former Young County Judge John Bullock.
Early voting was held from Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 27 at two polling locations. Election day voting closed Tuesday, March 3 with a total turnout of 3,750 voters.
Bullock and Graham are the two candidates heading to the runoff election after receiving 1,333 votes, or 39.68%, and 1,173 votes, or 34.92%, respectively. Sexton received a total of 853 votes, or 25.39%.
Candidates Charlotte King, Cooper Dodd and Bobby Swetnam were running for the Young County Precinct 4 Commissioner seat in the Republican primary. Incumbent Jimmy Wiley did not file for reelection.
Dodd and Swetnam will be the two candidates heading to the runoff election after receiving 229 votes, or 32.67%, and 318 votes, or 45.36%, respectively. King received 154 votes, or 21.97%.
Per state law, those who voted in the primary election must vote in the same political party for the runoff election.
The last day to register to vote in the primary runoff election is Monday, April 27 and the last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Friday, May 15.
To register, a voter can complete a registration application and return it to the Young County election office at the Young County Annex at 417 Second St.
To be eligible to register, a potential voter must be a U.S. citizen, resident of Young County, not a convicted felon, at least 17 years and 10 months old on the date of registration and not been declared to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
To check your registration status, visit votetexas.gov, or contact the Young County elections office at 940-521-9483.
