Voting in the March 5 Democratic and Republican primaries begins at 7 am tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5, and ends at 7 pm. Hemphill County Clerk Sylvia Guerrero announced on Friday that some polling places had been consolidated due to power outages at rural voting locations. Voters in Pct. 201 will cast their ballots at the City Hall and Municipal Auditorium, located at 2 Main Street, and Voters in Pcts. 301, 302 and 303 will all cast ballots at the Baker Elementary School, located at 723 Cheyenne Avenue.

A total of 214 voters took advantage of extended early voting hours—which included weekend voting on February 24 from 7 am-7 pm, and on February 25 from 12-6 pm. The early voting process was disrupted at midweek last week when wildfires forced evacuations, but resumed on Thursday and Friday.

Local and district offices on the 2024 primary election ballots include those of Hemphill County Tax Assessor/Collector, Hemphill County Attorney, Hemphill County Commissioner (Precincts 1 and 3), Hemphill County Sheriff, and 31st District Attorney.

Only one local office has been contested—that of Precinct 3 County Commissioner Dale Schafer, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Curt McPherson following his resignation. Schafer has filed in the Republican primary as a candidate for a full term of office. Tim Arthur has also filed as a candidate for Precinct 3 commissioner.

Several local officials have drawn no primary challengers. Hemphill County Sheriff Brent Clapp, Precinct 1 County Commissioner Dawn Webb, County Attorney Kyle Miller, County Tax Assessor/Collector Chris Jackson.

Other races of particular interest to Hemphill County voters include the Republican primary contest for 31st District Attorney, which has incumbent DA Franklin McDonough—a 12-year veteran of the office—facing a challenge from Pampa attorney Todd Alvey. Alvey previously served a 10-year stint as Gray County Attorney, and for the last nearly five years has been the primary regional attorney for the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), handling child welfare cases in the northern Panhandle.

In addition, State Representative Ken King (D-88, Canadian) has drawn a primary challenger in his bid for a seventh term of office from Plainview resident and former Hale County Republican Chair Karen Post.

Both the Democratic and Republican primary voting will be held jointly [see graphic] in Hemphill County. Early voting began this morning at the Hemphill County Courthouse and will continue through Friday, March 1. Voting hours will be from 8 am to 5 pm Tuesday-Friday, Feb. 20-23, and will continue on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 7 am to 7 pm, and on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 12 noon to 6 pm. In the final week of early voting, extended hours will be observed Monday-Friday, Feb. 26-March 1, from 7 am to 7 pm.

Election Day voting on March 5 will be conducted in the following joint polling locations [see graphic] from 7 am to 7 pm.

HEMPHILL COUNTY ELECTION PAGE

Find links to Democratic and Republican Primary sample ballots for each Hemphill County precinct here:

https://www.co.hemphill.tx.us/page/hemphill.ElectionInformation

VOTERS GUIDES

A nonpartisan Guide to Voters prepared by the League of Women Voters is available online in English, Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese at https://www.vote411.org/plan-your-vote.

The Texas Tribune also offers a Primary Voter Guide online at https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/15/texas-voting-primary-2024/