2024 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

Posted on August 20, 2024

Wentworth wins three-way race for superintendent

In a tight race three-way race for Taylor County Superintendent of Schools, longtime former coach and 35-year school district employee Reggie Wentworth earned 39.7% of the vote to defeat incumbent Superintendent Alicia Beshears (34.3%) and former Superintendent Dr. Danny Glover (26%).

According to unofficial results, Wentworth (2,406 votes) out-polled Beshears (2,079) by 327 votes and Glover (1,577) by 829 votes in a race that saw 6,062 votes cast.

As of press time there were still eight provisional ballots to be counted.

Among those voting early, Wentworth held a 206-vote advantage, with 983 votes compared to 777 for Beshears and 542 for Glover.

When “vote by mail” ballots were counted, Beshears pulled within 112 votes of the lead, receiving 503 votes, compared to 409 for Wentworth and 379 for Glover.

At the polls on election day, Wentworth received 1,014 votes (41%), compared to 799 for Beshears (32%) and 656 for Glover (26%).

Beach wins re-election to 2^nd term

In the race for Taylor County Property Appraiser, incumbent Shawna Beach earned a second four-year term in office Tuesday, pulling in 72.4% of the votes to defeat Republican challenger Nikki Anderson, who received (27.6%) of the ballots cast.

Beach grabbed a more than three to one advantage after early votes were counted, receiving 1,753 votes (76%) compared to 553 (24%) for Anderson.

When mail-in ballots were tabulated, Beach cushioned her lead by receiving 906 votes, compared to 369 for Anderson to grab a 74% to 26% advantage in votes cast prior to election day.

At the polls, Beach won 69.7% of the votes (1,718 to 747) compared to 30.3% for Anderson.

According to unofficial results, Beach garnered 4,377 (72.4%) of the 6,046 total votes cast, while Anderson pulled in 1,669 (27.6%).

Padgett wins third term as sheriff 

Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett earned a third term in office following the Aug. 20 primary, pulling in 55.5% of the vote to defeat challenger Eric Sadler (44.5%) by a 676-vote margin.

According to unofficial election night results, Padgett garnered 3,404 votes of the 6,132 total votes cast, while Sadler pulled in 2,728. 

Padgett (55%) led Sadler (45%) by 236 votes (1,283 to 1,047) after the 2,330 early votes were counted, and extended his lead to 58% to 42% by receiving a total of 358 more “vote by mail” ballots (833 to 475).

Padgett (2,116 votes) was leading Sadler (1,047 votes) 58% to 42% heading into the election day voting.

As for the votes cast at the 14 precincts on election day, Padgett received 1,288 votes (51.6%) while Sadler was just 82 votes back at 1,206 (48.4%).

Blue retains gavel as County Judge

County Judge Bill Blue won a third term in office, defeating challenger and local attorney Angela Ball by garnering 70.7% of the overall vote.

Blue received a total of 4,303 votes to Ball’s 1,782 votes (29.3%).

The incumbent surged to an early lead after early votes were counted, receiving 1,713 votes, compared to 603 for Ball.

Blue also won the “vote-by-mail” race with 889 votes, while Ball garnered 408, to take a 72% to 28% lead prior to election day votes being tabulated.

Full election results will be available in the Aug. 23 Perry News-Herald.

CORRECTION: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Judge Bill Blue earned a fourth term in Tuesday’s primary. He instead won his third six-year term. We apologize for the error.

English wins close race for District 1 seat

Incumbent Jamie English won re-election in a close race for the County Commission District I seat on Tuesday, edging out challenger and local pastor Justin K. Webb.

According to unofficial results, English garnered 685 (55.06%) of the 1,244 total votes cast, while Webb pulled in 559 (44.94%).

When early votes were counted, English held a 4-vote advantage over Webb (280-276).

English pulled further ahead after “vote by mail” ballots were tabulated, pulling 156 mail-in votes, compared to 117 for Webb. On election day, English garnered 249 votes to Webb’s 166 at the precincts.

Newman holds off three challengers

Taylor County Commission Michael Newman retained his District 3 seat in Tuesday’s primary election, holding off three challengers to earn a second term in office.

Newman picked up a total of 541 votes (37.05%), which was enough to fend off Robert Shannon Millinor with 400 votes (27.4%), Ursula Miller with 325 votes (22.26%) and Michael A. Green with 194 votes (13.29%).

After early votes were tabulated, Millinor (134) held a slim 5-vote lead over incumbent Newman (129), while Miller was in third with 70 votes and Green received 54.

Newman surged into the lead after the “vote-by-mail” ballots were counted, receiving 142 votes, compared to Millinor’s 73, Miller’s 65 and Green’s 34.

Newman also led on election day voting at the precincts, earning 270 votes, while Millinor had 193 votes, Miller had 190 votes and Green had 106 votes.

Demps defeats Reaves to earn third term

Taylor County Commissioner Thomas Demps earned a third term in office representing District 5, fending off a challenger from Ocie Reaves.

Demps earned 626 votes (70.26%) of the total vote, compared to Reaves with 265 votes.

Demps built a commanding lead in early voting, pulling in 249 votes, compared to 82 for Reaves.

Demps also won the “vote by mail” count by a 126-50 margin.

On election day, Demps received 251 votes, compared to 133 for Reaves.

Full results will be available in the Aug. 23 Perry News-Herald.

Mathis wins third term on school board 

Taylor County School Board incumbent Jeannie Mathis held off challenger Laurel LaValle to win a third term as the District 3 representative.

According to unofficial election results Tuesday night, Mathis (52%) edged out LaValle by just 57 votes, gathering 733 total votes to LaValle’s 676 (48%).

LaValle built a 45-vote lead in early votes cast, pulling 210 (56%) compared to Mathis’ 165 (44%). 

Mathis pulled three votes closer after “vote by mail” ballots were counted, receiving 152 votes, while LaValle received 149.
However, at the precincts on election day, Mathis won by 99 votes (416-317) to grab a 56.7% advantage.

When the final results were tabulated, Mathis pulled in 52.02% of votes compared to LaValle’s 47.98% – a difference of 676 votes.

Mathis was first elected to the school board in 2016, defeating fellow challenger Valena Reed Driggers 53.5% to 46.5% to succeed longtime board member Darrell Whiddon, who retired after serving six consecutive terms. 

She won re-election in 2020 over challenger Guy Gibson (62.85% to 37.15%).

Landry re-elected to District 3 seat

Incumbent City Councilwoman Diane Landry earned a second term in office representing City Council District 3 on Tuesday, winning the Aug. 20 primary election over challenger and local pastor Dr. Willie Jefferson Anderson Jr.

Landry pulled in 65% (104 votes) of the 159 early votes cast, compared to 55 (35%) for Anderson.

In vote-by-mail balloting, Landry received 68 votes, compared to 18 for Anderson, giving the incumbent a 70%-30% advantage before votes cast at the polls on election day were counted.

Landry won the Election Day vote 99-66 to cement her win with a final tally of 271 votes (66%) to Anderson’s 139 votes (33.9%).

Landry first took office after winning a special election over two fellow challengers in 2022 to fill the District 3 seat left vacant by the death of Councilman Mike Deming.

Beach wins Republican State Committeeman seat

Dustin Beach won the Republican race for State Committeeman over Earl Swann by 527 votes in Tuesday’s primary election.

Beach received 2,276 votes (56.55%) compared to Swann’s 1,749 (43.45%).

Beach won “vote-by-mail” balloting 413 to 342, early voting 1,055 to 699 and election day voting by an 858-708 margin.