HOW BURNET COUNTY VOTED

NOTE: The following results are for how BURNET COUNTY voters cast their ballots. They may or may not line up with state outcomes. For a graphic that shows how county and state results compared, see Friday's edition of The Highlander.

After all the polling locations closed Super Tuesday evening, March 1, and the votes were tallied, it became apparent that Burnet County voters mirrored the rest of Texas in favoring Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz over Donald J. Trump, 4,026 votes to 3,145.

In locally-contested races, there were many clear-cut winners, as well as several expected runoff situations (if the top candidates did not gather at least 50.1% or more of the votes for that position):

* Indicates anticipated runoffs.

• Burnet County Sheriff – For the Burnet County Sheriff's seat, Calvin Boyd defeated JP Wilson, 5,968 votes to 3,242 (or 64.8% to 35.2%.)

• *County Commissioner - A runoff is anticipated in the County Commissioner, Precinct 1, contest, between the top vote getter, Jim Luther, Jr., who had 1,086 votes (37.49%) and opponent Sam Cox, who had 1,020 votes (35.21%.) A third candidate, Glenn Whitworth, trailed with 791 votes (27.30%.)

• *County Commissioner – Another runoff is expected in the County Commissioner, Precinct 3, race, between Billy Wall, who earned the most votes with 920 (47.35%), and K. Linvel Baker, who trailed with 646 votes (33.25%.) The third candididate, Darrell (Butch) Turner, earned 377 votes (19.40%.)

• *Justice of the Peace – A runoff is expected for the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, position, between leader Roxanne Nelson, who brought in 1,094 ballots (41.31%) and Michael Horton, who earned 1,077 votes (40.67%.) Trailing was Lynn H. Sheffield, with 477 votes (18.01%.)

• *Justice of the Peace – Voting was also disbursed widely in the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, contest. A runoff is anticipated between leader Coach Larry Berkman, who had 831 votes (38.21%), and Debbie Bindseil, who was a close second with 769 votes (35.35%.) Rounding out the balance in that race were Frank Reilly, with 415 votes (19.08%) and Bill Worley, with 160 votes (7.36%.)

• Constable – Leslie Ray won the Constable, Precinct 1, position over opponent Chris Bieze, 1,594 votes to 964, or (62.31% TO 37.69%.)

• Constable – Jimmy Ballard won Constable, Precinct 3, over James Bryant, 1037 votes to 751 (or, 58% to 42%.)

Additional Contested Races

In other contested races in the Republican primary, Burnet County voters chose:

• *Railroad Commissioner – A runoff is anticipated for Railroad Commissioner after Gary Gates earned the most votes, with 1,901 (26.08%), while Wayne Christian came in a close second, with 1,594 votes (21.87%.) The remainder of the candidates were as follows: Ron Hale with 1,228 votes (16.85%); Lance N. Christian, with 777 votes (10.66%); Doug Jeffrey, with 672 votes (9.22%); Weston Martinez, with 595 votes (8.16%) and John Greytok, with 521 votes (7.15%.)

• Justice, Supreme Court – Michael Massengale won Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3, with 4,208 votes (53.74%) over Debra Lehrmann, 3,622 votes (46.26%.)

• Justice, Supreme Court – Rick Green won the Supreme Court Justice, Place 5, seat over Paul Green, 4,680 votes to 2,725 (63.2% to 36.8%.)

• Justice, Supreme Court – The Supreme Court Justice, Place 9, position was claimed narrowly by Joe Pool, with 3,954 votes (51.59%) over Eva Guzman, who tallied 3,711 votes (48.41%.)

• *Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals – Voting was spread evenly in the race for Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place 2, with close results foretelling of a runoff race between the two top forerunners, Ray Wheless, who had 2,741 votes (37.53%) and Mary Lou Keel, who had 2,526 votes (34.59%.) The third candidate, Chris Oldner, had 2,036 votes (27.88%.)

• *Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals – Vying for the Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place 5, seat, also is leading to a runoff situation between Scott Walker, the top vote getter, with 3,219 votes (43.86%), and Brent Webster, who garnered 1,757 votes (23.94%.) The other two candidates finished as follows: Steve Smith, 1,532 votes (20.87%) and Sid Harle, 831 votes (11.32%.)

• Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals – Michael E. Keasler won the Court of Criminal Appeals Judge, Place 6, position over Richard Davis, with 3,844 votes to 3,420 (52.92% to 47.08%.)

• *State Senator – In a competitive race for State Senator, District 24, a runoff is expected to make a final decision between Dawn Buckingham, who topped primary ballots with 2,200 votes (26.32%) and Susan King, who earned 1,580 votes (18.9%.) The remainder of the candidates finished as follows: Jon Cobb, 1,518 (18.16%); Reed Williams, 1,436 (17.18%); Brent Mayes, 1,195 (14.3%) and Ryan Downton, 429 (5.13%.)

• State Representative – Winning State Representative, District 20, decidedly was Terry Wilson over Marsha Farney, with 5,736 votes to 3,214 (64.09% to 35.91%.)

Unopposed races

Candidates who were running unopposed in the primary election received the following responses from voters:

• United States Representative – Roger Williams ran unopposed for the United States Representative, District 25, post, earning 6,407 votes.

• State Board of Education – Tom Maynard drew 7,023 votes for him unopposed for the State Board of Education, District 10, position.

• Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals – Cindy Olson Bourland won 3rd Court of Appeals District Justice, Place 2, with 6,952 votes.

• Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals – Melissa Goodwin posted 6,979 votes for her in the 3rd Court of Appeals District Justice, Place 4, position.

• District Judge, 33rd Judicial District – Allan Garrett tallied 7,309 votes for him as the 33 rd Judicial District Judge.

Locally uncontested

On the local front, those who ran unopposed and the votes they earned were:

• District Attorney – Wiley (Sonny) McAfee posted 7,283 votes for him as District Attorney of the 33rd Judicial District.

• County Attorney – Eddie Arrendondo earned 6,322 votes for him to continue as the Burnet County Attorney.

• County Tax Assessor-Collector – Sheri Frazier had 7,982 ballots cast for her as the Burnet County Tax Assessor-Collector.

• Constable – Garry Adams had 1,860 votes for him as Constable, Precinct 2.

Democratic Primary Election

While there were no Democratic candidates vying for local offices, there were still party voters who turned out to cast ballots for their choice of presidential candidate and others.

Burnet County voters favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders, 871 votes to 576. All other Democratic candidates received under 10 votes each.

The only other contested race in the Democratic Primary was for:

• *Railroad Commissioner – A runoff for Railroad Commissioner is expected between Grady Yarbrough, who earned 425 votes (37.25%) and Cody Garrett, who had 396 votes (34.71%.) The third candidate, Lon Burnam, finished with 320 votes (28.05%.)

Unopposed races

And, while there were no Democratic candidates running for local offices, local Democratic voters cast ballots for the following unopposed candidates:

• United States Representative – Kathi Thomas earned 1,181 votes for the post of United States Representative, District 25.

• Justice, Supreme Court – Mike Westergren earned 1,077 votes for him as the Supreme Court Justice for Place 3; Dori Contreras Garza earned 1,121 votes as the Supreme Court Justice for Place 5, and, Savannah Robinson earned 1,108 votes as the Supreme Court Justice for Place 9.

• Court of Criminal Appeals – Lawrence “Larry” Meyers earned 1,104 votes for him as the Court of Criminal Appeals Judge for Place 2; Betsy Johnson earned 1,125 votes for her as Court of Criminal Appeals Judge for Place 5, and, Robert Burns earned 1,103 votes for him as Court of Criminal Appeals Judge for Place 6.

• State Board of Education – Judy Jennings earned 1,125 votes for her as a member of the State Board of Education, District 10.

• State Senator – Virginia “Jennie Lou” Leeder had 1,137 Democratic votes for her as State Senator, District 24.