The filing period for candidates to place their names on the Democrat or Republican ballots has ended. In Terry County, there are five positions during this election cycle. They are Terry County Attorney, Sheriff’s Office, Tax Assessor/Collector, Commissioner Precinct 1 and Commissioner Precinct 3. Four incumbents have filed for reelection. Here is the list of Terry County Offices up for election in 2024. The County Attorney’s position is up for election. The current holder is incumbent Jo’shae Ferguson Worley, who has filed for re-election. The County Tax Assessor/Collector office is up for election and the current official is incumbent Rexanne Furlow, and she filed for re-election. Terry County Sheriff’s position is also up for election and the current sheriff is Timothy Click, who has filed for re-election. Precinct 3 Commissioner Martin Lefevere. Current Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Swain did not file and will be retiring at the end of 2024.
The County Attorney, Tax Assessor/Collector, and Sheriff’s office will not have a contested primary or the general election. Nobody filed to run against them. However, Precinct 1 & 3 Commissioners seats will be contested. On the Precinct 1 primary ballot, there will be Myron Bovkoon, JR Cudd, and Manuel Masias. To not trigger a runoff election, one candidate must have 50% plus one vote of the votes.
In the Precinct 3 Commissioners race, the incumbent Martin Lefevere will be contested in the primary with Lance Richolson. Whoever wins the primary of this race will then have a contested General Election race. Shorty Martinez has filed for Precinct 3 Commissioner on the Democratic ballot and no other Democratic candidates have filed for Precinct 3. In 2020, Martinez had filed for re-election for Precinct 3 on the Democrat ticket. However, after the 2020 Democrat & Republican Primaries were over, the voter log showed Martinez had voted in the Republican Primary. According to Texas Election Law, (Sec. 162.015. RESTRICTIONS ON CANDIDACY IN GENERAL ELECTION BY CANDIDATE OR VOTER IN PRIMARY.) Martinez was disqualified from the 2020 General Election. In 2022, Martinez moved over into the Precinct 4 boundaries and was a Democrat candidate against incumbent Republican Ernesto Elizardo. Martinez would lose to Elizardo by 491 votes to 109 (82% to 18%). Now Martinez has moved back into the Precinct 3 boundaries and has filed for Precinct 3 Commissioner on the Democrat side.
Both Democrat and Republican Primaries will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, also known as Super Tuesday. If three or more candidates in the same party, run for the same office, to avoid a runoff, then for a candidate to become the nominee to be placed on the general ballot, they would need to get 50% plus one vote. If that does not happen, it will trigger a runoff election for the top two candidates.
