Breckenridge Texan

The Stephens County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Monday, March 10, to abolish the county elections administrator position following the resignation of Elections Administrator Jared McLane.

McLane submitted his resignation letter on March 3, effective March 14, with commissioners officially accepting it during an executive session on Thursday, March 6. He is leaving to pursue another employment opportunity, County Judge Michael Roach said. He had been hired for the elections administrator position in June 2024.

The decision at this week’s meeting will abolish the position that the commissioners created last April. The voter registration duties will return to the tax assessor-collector’s office, and election functions will now be handled by the county clerk’s office, in accordance with Section 31.048 of the Texas Local Government Code.

During Monday’s meeting, Roach asked McLane to address the commissioners in the public session, explaining what he had told them last week. McLane said that, based on his experience, the position doesn’t require full-time work, outside of election periods.

“During the election time, it can get hectic once you get settled in,” McLane said. “After the elections… it’s not a full time job.”

McLane estimated that he spent minimal time on administrative duties between elections.

“I’d say at most, 10 to 12 hours a week into the elections itself. And that’s at most,” McLane said. “… if a taxpayer would come ask, I think it’d be hard to justify this salary, from my aspect.”

At Monday’s meeting, Roach praised McLane’s performance, noting that the last election was “super smooth” with excellent reporting numbers to the state.

Rather than replacing McLane with another elections administrator, the county plans to restructure its approach to managing elections.

“I think what we’re going to do is cut that (elections administrator) position, reduce that expense totally, $55,000, $50,000 something like that,” Roach said in a phone call Friday afternoon. “We’re going to move somebody out of the tax assessor-collector’s office across the hall to the county clerk’s office, and reduce the staff in the tax office, because they’re not going to be handling elections anymore.”

Roach acknowledged on Friday that the restructuring could affect customer service at the tax office.

“I think it will affect it, and it’ll affect it negatively,” Roach said. “It may mean that local residents may have to wait a little bit longer in lines to get their tags. Maybe it’s not a two-minute wait, five-minute wait. Maybe it’s a 10- or 15-minute wait.”

McLane said during Monday’s meeting that he thinks the restructuring could improve efficiency, especially with another person working in the county clerk’s office.

“I have made it work with one person. I think three people could make it even better,” McLane said, referring to the county clerk’s office staff. “You don’t have to hire as many people on early voting day … you could run the early voting yourself.”

County Clerk Jackie Ensey, whose office will now assume election duties, said her office will be able to handle the new work.

Years ago, Stephens County transferred the election duties from the county clerk’s office to the tax assessor-collector’s office under a special exceptions option in the state law. Then, last year, the commissioners created the elections administrator position due to litigation concerns, Roach said Monday.

Now that the elections administrator position is being abolished, state law requires that the duties be assigned to the county clerk, who must deliver a certified copy of the order abolishing the position to the Texas Secretary of State within three days.

Roach said upcoming municipal and school board elections in April should not be affected by the transition, as McLane has already assisted local entities with their election preparations.

“All the major stuff they need to run their election, it’s already set up and ready to roll,” Roach said.

Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Elections Administrator Jared McLane addresses the commissioners court on Monday, March 10, about his resignation and the restructuring of the local election duties. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)