Runoff results decide contenders

PRIMARIES

BASTROP — Last week’s runoff elections finalized which Bastrop County representatives will appear on the upcoming November primary race ballot.

Three poll leaders from the March 5 primary election didn’t secure the 50%-plus-one vote total required and were put against their second- place counterparts in the May 28 runoff. Winners will face off against the opposing party’s representative Nov. 5, along with any potential Libertarian, Green Party or independent candidates.

Republican Butch Carmack took the County Commissioner Precinct No. 1 position over Dominica McGinnis with 53% of the votes after trailing her in the initial elections. He will be matched by Democrat Joseph Thompson, who ran uncontested.

GOP candidate Zachary Carter will be the sole name on the ballot for Justice of the Peace Precinct No. 2, beating out Ty McDonald by 418 votes, or 77%.

Democratic Justice 3rd Court of Appeals District Place 2 winner, Maggie Ellis, will meet Republican John Messinger after decidedly claiming the spot from Edward Smith with 87% of the votes. The winner was forced into the runoff after missing the cut off by only 3%.

Stan Gerdes, a Republican, already secured his position on the ballot for District 17 State Representative and will face off against Democrat Desiree Venable in November.

A total of 2,534 ballots were cast May 28, around 4% of all registered voters in the area.

The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 5 primary election is Oct. 7, early voting begins Oct. 21.