WASHINGTON CO. ELECTION RESULTS – HANATH & CHISOLM WIN RACES FOR COUNTY JUDGE, PCT. 2 COMMISSIONER
A prolonged election season in Washington County culminated on Tuesday with the primary runoff election.
The race for county judge saw Kirk Hanath emerge victorious over Brad Tegeler, 3,588 – 3,119. Hanath, who was first elected as Precinct 3 commissioner in 2004, will not be opposed by a Democrat in November and will fill the seat of John Durrenberger, who did not file for re-election. He will become the first commissioner to be elected as county judge in recent history, as none of the past five county judges, dating back to Odis Tomaschefsky in the 1950’s, served as county commissioner prior to being elected county judge.
Hanath issued a statement to KWHI, reading, “Crista and I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made their voices heard in this election including the incredible volunteers and supporters on both sides. This was a hard-fought race, and I want to congratulate Mr. Tegeler and Mr. Cone for their hard work, dedication, and ideas during this cycle. Washington County is our home, and it is incredibly special to all of us. Over the past 6 months, I’ve knocked on nearly 5,000 doors and listened to your concerns, stories, and ideas for Washington County. As I prepare to serve as your next Washington County Judge, my focus will be on our future working together to ensure we thrive while fiercely protecting the character and values that have defined our county since the founding of Texas. I’ve always believed that we are much better together than we are apart. No matter how you voted, we are united by our love for this community. I am ready to get to work, ensure your tax dollars are spent wisely, and serve every single person who calls Washington County home.”
Tegeler shared a statement late Tuesday night expressing gratitude for the support he received and calling for a continued commitment to transparency, seeking property tax relief and supporting first responders. He told KWHI that he is proud of this campaign and the effort put forth to bring attention to important issues, and he hopes that the newly elected officials take those issues seriously.
For Precinct 2 Commissioner, Jim Chisolm defeated Mark Schonefeld 1,089 – 754. Chisolm will also be unopposed come November with no Democrats slated to appear on the ballot. He will succeed Candice Bullock who, like Durrenberger, did not seek re-election.
Chisolm said he is deeply honored and humbled by the outcome. He pledges to stay open to the public and work to ensure Washington County’s success.
Schonefeld said he will continue working to leave a legacy for Washington County’s youth, educate them, and make the county a great place to live. He congratulated Chisolm on his victory and thanked all of the voters for their participation, as well as the full field of commissioner candidates for running a clean campaign. He was not pleased with how volatile the county judge’s race became, saying that is not the example to set for future generations.
Per the unofficial results from the Washington County Elections Office, a total of 7,255 ballots were cast during the election, including 5,174 during early voting, 1,852 on Election Day and 229 absentee. Of those, 6,803 came from Republicans and 452 from Democrats.
The results show 25,852 registered voters and a voter turnout of 28.06 percent. Results are considered unofficial until they are canvassed.