Woody Wins in Grapeland, Latexo ISD Bond Passes

2020 Unofficial Houston County Election Results

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – The 2020 General Election was held on Tuesday, Nov. 3 as record turnouts in early voting, as well as the total number of ballots cast, were witnessed.

In recent years, many of the political races in Houston County have been uncontested. In the 2020 election, however, the county saw contested elections for: city positions in Grapeland, Houston County Sheriff, the Crockett ISD school board, four seats on the Houston County Hospital District (HCHD) Board of Directors, a bond issue in Latexo and a race for the Precinct Three County Commissioner’s position.

According to Houston County Elections Administrator Cynthia Lum, “This is the largest turnout we have ever had.”

Lum reported as of Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5, 9,266 ballots had been cast in Houston County from a total pool of 13,487 registered voters, representing 68.7 percent.

The final, unofficial early voting tallies indicated a total of 7,107 ballots had been cast in Houston County. This was comprised of 6,266 early votes and 841 ballots-by-mail. The unofficial total represented 52.7% of all registered voters in the oldest county in Texas.

By comparison, in the 2016 General Election, the vote totals showed 8,409 ballots were cast for a voting percentage of 63.8. 

As far as the unofficial totals – starting in Grapeland – Mitchell Woody defeated incumbent Balis Dailey for the mayoral position by a margin of 201 votes (69%) votes to 90 (31%).

For the Grapeland City Council, which features an at-large system of voting, there were three candidates for two positions. When the final votes were tabulated, Eddie Childress received 207 votes (48%), Justin Lumbreraz received 140 (32%) and Greg Vaden received 85 (20%). 

Moving to the race for Houston County Sheriff, Republican Randy Hargrove received 7,147 votes (77%) while Democrat Charles Holmes received 2,107 (23%). 

After all the ballots had been counted in the Precinct Three County Commissioner’s race, Republican Gene Stokes defeated Democrat Reginald Berry by a count of 1,473 (67%) to 726 (33%).

In the hotly contested races for a seat on the HCHD Board of Directors, Place 2 saw Pam Ainsworth defeat Roy Langford by a margin of 3,210 votes (52.7%) to 2,880 (47.3%).

In the HCHD Place 6 contest, Rhonda Brown was re-elected after capturing 3,488 votes (58.3%) to challenger Kitty von Doenhoff’s 2,495 votes (41.7%).

Dina Pipes was also re-elected to HCHD Place 8 as she garnered 3,268 votes (54.2%) compared to challenger Gerald Colter’s total of 2,762 votes (45.8). 

In the race for Crockett ISD District 2 representation, challenger Stephen Tuggle defeated incumbent Mo Amjad by 14 votes, 315 (51%) to 301 (49%).

After several attempts in the last few years, Latexo ISD finally passed a bond initiative by a margin of 626 votes (62.2 %) to 381 votes (37.8 %).

At the national level, Republican President Donald Trump received 7050 votes (75%) while former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden received 1,846 votes (20%).

US Senator John Cornyn (R) garnered 6,895 votes (76%) in Houston County while Democratic Challenger MJ Hegar received 2,193 votes (24%).

District Eight U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (REP) received 7,057 votes (76%) in Houston County while Democratic Challenger Elizabeth Hernandez received 2,177 votes (23%).

District 57 State Representative Trent Ashby (REP) ran against Jason Rogers (DEM) and received 7,234 votes (78%) compared to Rogers’ 2,063 (22%). 

In uncontested races:

Jim Worthen was unopposed in the race for Chief Justice, 12th Court Of Appeals District and received 7,341 votes (100%).

Mark A. Calhoon (REP) was unopposed in the race for District Judge, 3rd Judicial District and received 6,242 votes (100%).

Pam Foster Fletcher (REP) was unopposed in the race for District Judge, 349th Judicial District and received 6,270 votes (100%).

Donna Gordon Kaspar (REP) was unopposed in the race for District Attorney, 349th Judicial District and received 7,374 votes (100%).

Houston County Attorney Daphne Lynette Session (DEM) was unopposed and received 5,331 votes (100%).

Laronica Wooten Smith (DEM) was unopposed in the race for Houston County Tax Assessor-Collector and received 4,939 votes (100%).

Dr. John Stovall was unopposed in HCHD Place 4 and received 4,277 votes (100%).

Precinct One County Commissioner Gary Lovell (REP) was unopposed and received 1,980 votes (100%).

Precinct One Constable Morris Luker was unopposed and received 3,552 votes (100%).

Precinct Two Constable Kenneth “Red” Smith was unopposed and received 3,854 votes (100%).

In other races:

• Railroad Commissioner – James “Jim” Wright received 6,963 votes in Houston County while Chrysta Castañeda received 2,138.
• Chief Justice, Supreme Court – Nathan Hecht received 6,858 votes in Houston County while Amy Clark Meachum tallied 2,204.
• Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 – Jane Bland received 6,999 votes in Houston County while Kathy Cheng tallied 2,195.
• Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7 – Jeff Boyd received 6,871 votes in Houston County while Staci Williams received 2,217.
• Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8 – Brett Busby received 6935 votes in Houston County while Gisela D. Triana received 2,173.
• Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 – Bert Richardson received 6,952 votes in Houston County while Elizabeth Davis Frizell received 2,248.
• Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 – Kevin Patrick Yeary received 6,928 votes in Houston County while Tina Clinton received 2,241.
• Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 – David Newell received 6,954 votes in Houston County while Brandon Birmingham received 2,165.
• Member, State Board Of Education, District 8 – Audrey Young received 7,164 in Houston County while Audra Rose Berry received 1,409.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].