Voters cast their ballots throughout Smith County on Election Day. 

Smith County voted to send two candidates to a runoff while others narrowly avoided it Tuesday.

The 2022 Joint Primary Election featured state and federal races, along with six contested Republican races and two Democratic races in Smith County, including Smith County Commission, Precinct 1 (R); Smith County Commission, Precinct 2 (R); Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 (R); County Constable, Precinct 2 (R); County Treasurer (R); Judge, County Court at Law, No. 3 (R); Party Chairman (D) and Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 (D).

Several new faces will serve in the elected leadership positions, including new county commissioners in precincts 1 and 2, a new county court at law No. 3 judge, two new justices of the peace and a new county Democratic Party chair. 

A longtime incumbent was bested in the Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 race, as Quincy Beavers was defeated by his challenger. 

Three candidates with law enforcement backgrounds fought to secure the county constable Pct. 2 position, but the leading candidate wasn’t able to secure 50 percent of the vote and a runoff will be required to determine a winner.

See full local results below: 

JUDGE, COUNTY COURT AT LAW, NO. 3

Clay White narrowly avoided a runoff in this Republican primary, capturing more than 52 percent of the vote. Sara Maynard finished second with 38 percent and Trevor Rose came in third with 9 percent.

White has been a lawyer for 32 years and is currently a partner at White-Shaver Law Firm in Tyler.

In his experience, White said he has been in hundreds of courtrooms and worked with hundreds of judges in the state of Texas. He believes he can be “a strong conservative judge for this court.”

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PRECINCT 1 (UNEXPIRED TERM)

Pam Frederick won the Republican County Commission Precinct 1 contested race, with better than 53 percent of the vote, defeating Fritz Hager Jr. who finished just shy of 47 percent.

“Winning this election is something I have worked for and something my 20 years in governmental experience and relationships built through her service have prepared me for, I hope to shadow Neal Franklin as much as he will let me,” Frederick said. 

Frederick said she is passionate about mental health issues and plan to make them a priority.

“I know mental health is a national issue, but we can also find a solution on a local level,” she said.

Frederick has served the city of Bullard as its mayor for 12 years, was on the Bullard City Council for eight years and taught in East Texas schools for 29 years. Some other issues Frederick wants to address include public safety and roads and bridges.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PRECINCT 2

In the Republican County Commissioner Precinct 2 race, longtime Smith County resident John Moore emerged victorious with nearly 53 percent of the vote. Retired paramedic Mike Adams finished second with with 35 percent, while local businessman Anwar Khalifa received 12 percent.

“I am looking forward to working with and for the people of Precinct 2,” Moore said on Tuesday night. “It is a great honor and I take it very seriously.”

As far as key issues of focus for Moore, “For the last 14 months I have been working with key people in the mental health field and correct ballot counting system, so these are important issues for me.”

Moore has always felt called to serve and his family taught him the importance of giving back at an early age. He said he believes his prior experience will be valuable to the commissioners court.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY COUNTY CHAIR

Hector Garza will be the Democratic County chair, finishing with with 53.5 percent of votes in a two-person race with Hank Gilbert, who captured 46.5 percent of votes.

“One of the things that I’m really looking forward to and pushing on my agenda is unification,” Garza said in a previous Tyler Paper interview. “There’s such a division in the Democratic Party right now and we need to stand together.”

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PRECINCT 1

Derrick Choice emerged victorious over incumbent Quincy Beavers Jr., securing nearly 58 percent of votes in the two-person race. Beavers, who had served as JP for about 28 years, received 41 percent of the votes.

“I’m elated and I’m ready to get started,” Choice said. “It was a long race, a very competitive race, and what I liked about it was it was a clean race against a longtime incumbent, Judge Quincy Beavers.”

In preparation to take office in January, Choice said he has been in contact with Beavers who has offered him help and guidance when needed. He added that because he will be new to this position he looks forward to learning from Beavers and others in JP positions. 

Choice said along with the set JP duties, he looks forward to providing young people with leadership and looking into the mental health in the jail. 

“I just want to continue to serve this community like I have for over 30 years, and this position is one of service,” Choice said during his campaign.

Choice earned a degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas at Tyler. For six years, he worked with the Smith County Juvenile Probation Department, was a public service director for KLTV, was on the Tyler City Council and currently works as a community health program manager for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

COUNTY CONSTABLE PRECINCT 2

A runoff will be required in this race, as Wayne Allen did not receive the required 50 percent of votes in the three-candidate race. He garnered more than 48% of the vote and will move into a runoff against Chris Roberts, who finished at 28 percent. Deal Folmar finished third with with 19 percent.

Late last year the Smith County Commissioners Court selected Shawn Scott, a Tyler native retired law enforcement officer and security company executive, as an interim Precinct 2 constable after the conviction of former office holder Joshua Black.

Black was convicted of official oppression Sept. 16 and sentenced the next day to six months in the Smith County Jail. He also was fined $4,000 and removed from office. Black was found guilty of using the power of his office to request sexual favors from a woman seeking supervised visitation of her child.

COUNTY TREASURER

Republican County Treasurer incumbent Kelli R. White cruised to victory over Jamie Boersma, capturing nearly 75 percent of votes. Boersma received 25 percent of votes.

“I think of myself as a public servant rather than a politician … as a treasurer,” White said during her campaign.

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PRECINCT 4

Curtis Wulf emerged victorious in the Republican Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 race, narrowly avoiding a runoff. Wulf captured 52 percent of the vote, with Ronnie Hester securing 25 percent and Laney Pilcher-Barnes pulling in 23 percent.

“I am excited for this opportunity to continue to serve the public and the families in my community as the next Justice of the Peace,” Wulf said in a Facebook post.