Reader Responses

As Republican county chairman, I had two goals once Frank Creath passed away and a ballot replacement was necessary under state law.

The first was to scrupulously follow all state Texas election laws and state and local Republican Party rules that apply to the process of replacing a candidate on the ballot. The second was to make the process as fair as possible to all candidates who wished to seek the office.

The final three candidates and their supporters had almost three weeks to contact the Constable No. 2 precinct chairs, who would vote on the replacement. The precinct chairs and myself all received numerous calls and letters vehemently supporting or opposing all three candidates.

We also ran criminal background checks and gathered and were sent other evidence on each candidate. Each candidate had 10 minutes to make a final appeal and answer questions in front of the precinct chairs before a vote was taken. Then there was a half-hour discussion among the precinct chairs and a vote was then taken by secret ballot, and it was very close.

The first ballot was five for Thoene, five for Dunklin and one for Potter. A second ballot was then taken between Thoene and Dunklin and the result was six for Dunklin and five for Thoene.

No matter which of the three candidates had been selected there would be some voters dissatisfied because the support for or against all three candidates was vehement.

To those dissatisfied with the result I suggest getting involved in the political process.

Precinct chairs and election judges are difficult to recruit because people want others to do the work. We have several openings in Constable Precinct 2 and also other precincts throughout the county.

Contact me if you are in a precinct with no present chair or plan to run against the present chair in the next election if you are unhappy with your precinct chair.

Ashton Oravetz III
Smith County
Republican Chair