O’Dell, Spoon win in runoff
In the Republican Primary Election Runoff that took place today, Tuesday, May 22, Eric O’Dell won the race for County Commissioner Precinct 4 and Steve Spoon won the race for Justice of the Peace. They will be on the ballot in the November election.
According to the results posted at the Stephens County Courthouse less than an hour after the polls closed, O’Dell received 148 votes in Early Voting, which took place last week, and 87 votes on Election Day, for a total of 235 votes. His opponent, Jamie Whitley, received 117 votes in Early Voting and 59 votes on Election Day for a total of 176 votes.
O’Dell said he believes his longtime employment with Stephens County contributed to his win. “A lot of people were going off of the experience I’ve had, the 33 years of experience I’ve had. I’m excited,” he said. In campaigning, he talked to people and found out that “most people want to see the roads fixed and taken care of. Most people want you to take care of their tax money.”
Spoon received 393 votes in Early Voting and 252 votes on Election Day for a total of 645 votes. His opponent, Leslie Blackerby, received 242 votes in Early Voting and 123 votes on Election Day for a total of 365 votes.
Spoon said he is looking forward to continuing the work that current Justice of the Peace Michael Roach has started. “I think just the message resonated (with the voters), trying to make a difference, trying to build on what Michael (Roach) has done,” he said. “I’m excited about that. I’m excited about the opportunity to work with people and use my gifts in that way.”
Spoon said one of the ideas he talked to people about when he was out campaigning is the concept of using mentors to help those who end up in the court system. “The teen court and the idea of mentoring, trying to get these kids mentors…” he said. “And, not just teen court…but just guys that come in (to the court) and trying to connect them with someone, to maybe keep them from going down this road. I think people are our best resource to help other people. I think that resonated. People saw today that they could have a part in this. It wasn’t just something up here at the courthouse. I was looking to all of the community to help our community.”
Although there were no Democratic candidates running for any of the local offices in the primary elections, write-in candidates can still file to run against the Republican candidates in the Nov. 6 Uniform Election. The last day to file as a write-in candidate is Aug. 20.
Also on the November ballot will be Republican candidates who won with more than 50 percent of the vote in the March Primary Election: Sharon Trigg for County Treasurer and Mark McCullough for County Commissioner Precinct 2 race. Additionally, the four unopposed candidates in the Republican Primary will be on the ballot: Michael Roach, County Judge; Christie Coapland, District Clerk; Jackie Ensey, County Clerk; and Graham Reaugh, County Chairman.
The vote tally is unofficial until the votes have been canvassed. The numbers could change slightly since, on election night, there were 43 mail-in ballots still out. Ballots by Mail have until 5 p.m. on the day after the election to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service and be counted.
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Christie Latham, the Stephens County Tax Assessor-Collector and Elections Administrator, posts election results in the Stephens Courthouse after the Primary Runoff election Tuesday night, May 22. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
