Larry Smith

Unofficial results are in for the March joint primary elections.

There will be a runoff in at least one Smith County Republican race — Commissioner Precinct 3. Incumbent Terry Phillips will face challenger J. Scott Herod on May 28. The winner will face Democratic nominee Edith Wilson.

Longtime Sheriff Larry Smith will continue to serve in his role, ousting familiar challenger Chris Green with 66.8% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

In the Precinct 1 commissioner race, incumbent Pam Frederick appeared to be ousted by just 95 votes. Opponent Christina Drewry looked to get the nod with 50.52% of the vote in the unofficial results.

Primaries are elections political parties use to select candidates for a general election. No one is elected to a position during a primary; however, if there isn’t a challenger from the other party, the winner of the respective primary will ultimately be the candidate who fills the role. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters compete in a runoff on May 28. In contested races, the winner of each primary will face each other in the November election.

There was a 22.96% turnout during the primary, out of a total 157,173 registered voters. Of that, 30,638 cast Republican Party ballots while 5,449 voted in the Democratic Primary.

In the final report of the night with ballots counted from all voting locations, Smith County reported the following numbers. Please note these numbers are unofficial until mail-in ballots postmarked March 5 are collected and all votes are canvassed in about two weeks.

Republican Ballot

Sheriff

Chris Green (9,559 votes, or 33.20%)

WINNER: Larry Smith (19,231 votes, or 66.80%)

County Commissioner Precinct 1

Christina Drewry (4,630 votes, or 50.52%)

Pam Frederick (4,535 votes, or 49.48%)

County Commissioner Precinct 3 *runoff between Herod and Phillips

Rusty Smith (1,598 votes, or 23.83%)

J. Scott Herod (2,968 votes, or 44.25%)

Terry Phillips (2,141 votes, or 31.92%)

County Court at Law No. 2

WINNER: Sara Maynard (14,082 votes, or 53.81%)

Amy McCullough (12,086 votes, or 46.19%)

County Chair

WINNER: David Stein (14,703 votes, or 66.39%)

Kevin McCall (7,444 votes, or 33.61%)

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 3

Lauren Ethredge Langas (153 votes, or 45.40%)

WINNER: Bob Brewer (184 votes, or 54.60%)

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 41

WINNER: Charles W. Turner (268 votes, 62.33%)

Jesse Constante (162 votes, 37.67%)

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 42

Shannon Mercer (319 votes, 35.92%)

WINNER: Chris Drewry (569 votes, 64.08%)

County Constable Precinct 2 candidate Wayne Allen, faced no challenger in the primary elections. After the final report of the night, he received 8,605 votes, or 100%.

County Constable Precinct 3 candidate Jim Blackmon, who was also uncontested, received 5,919 votes, or 100%.

County Constable Precinct 4 incumbent Josh Joplin faced no opposition in the primary and will continue to serve the precinct. He received 2,119 votes, or 100%.

County Constable Precinct 5 incumbent Wesley Hicks will also continue to serve as he did not face a challenger. He received 4,355 votes, or 100%.

County Tax Assessor-Collector candidate Gary Barber received 24,020 votes, or 100%. He did not have a challenger in the primary.

District Judge 7th Judicial District candidate Kerry Russell did not face a challenger. He received 21,930 votes or 100%.

District Judge 114th Judicial District candidate Austin Reeve Jackson was the only candidate in the primary, and garnered 21,962 votes, or 100%.

District Judge 475th Judicial District candidate Taylor Heaton, also uncontested, received 21,403 votes, or 100%.

Democrat Ballot

County Commissioner Precinct 3

Dave Hansen (256 votes, 24.83%)

WINNER: Edith Mayfield-Wilson (775 votes, 75.17%)

County Constable Precinct 1

WINNER: Ralph Caraway Jr. (1,268 votes, 65.60%)

Derrick Holman (122 votes, 6.31%)

Willie Mims (543 votes, 28.09%)

Precinct Chair, Precinct No. 58

DG Montalvo (17 votes, 12.69%)

WINNER: Gayle Symonette (117 votes, 87.31%)

County Chair

Hector Garza was uncontested in the primary. He received 4,207 votes, or 100%.

Read federal and state results, and how Smith County voted on each, at tylerpaper.com.

View more election results and further analysis at tylerpaper.com.