NEWS
Montague County voter turnout tops 55 percent
Montague County’s voter turnout for the 2018 mid-term elections was 55.21 percent, just slightly higher than the state average of about 53 percent.
County Elections Administrator Ginger Wall reported there were 7,502 ballots cast Tuesday from a total of 13,588 registered voters.
Across the State of Texas there were 8.3 million voters that went to the polls, which was double the 2014 mid-terms and just slightly less than the 2016 presidential election. Tuesday’s state turnout was about 53 percent.
Wall said election day ran smooth with a steady stream of voters throughout the day.
Early voting saw 4,675 in the county. She said the new tablets worked great and they look forward to the new year when the new voting machines arrive.
For local entities many incumbents return to leadership, while new ones were elected. Saint Jo Independent School District saw its $6.6 million bond issue approved, while Forestburg ISD had its $1.7 million bond issue rejected by voters. That was the third bond failure to FISD.
Voting totals for all the contested Montague County races, as well as the state, federal and school races are listed in the weekend News.
While all of these elected officials were incumbents, they took the oath of office for a new term on Jan. 1, 2025. They are: Constable One Harvey Johnson, Constable Two Jerry DeMoss; County Attorney Clay Riddle; Tax Assessor-Collector Kathy Phillips; Sheriff Marshall Thomas; County Judge Kevin Benton administered the oath; Commissioner Three Mark Murphey and Commissioner One Roy Darden. (Photo by Barbara Green)
Jan. 1, 2025 is the first day of a new elected term for many Montague County officials. There will be a swearing-in ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 in the courthouse annex.
The public is invited to attend with refreshments to follow.
Officials being sworn in are: Sheriff Marshall Thomas, County Attorney, Commissioner One Roy Darden, Commissioner Three Mark Murphey, Constables Jerry DeMoss and Harvey Johnson and Tax Assessor Kathy Phillips.
One person was killed in a two-vehicle accident in the early morning hours of Dec. 28 on U.S. 81 (U.S.287) 0.2 miles from Fruitland Road.
Texas of Public Safety officials said the wreck occurred at 5:23 a.m. on Dec. 28 on the highway in front of Camper’s Paradise.
The preliminary investigation showed a 2013 Kia Soul driven by Shelley Gene Jewell, 66, Gainesville, was traveling southbound in the northbound lane of the highway. A second vehicle, a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Jose Noe Vences, 39, Dallas was traveling northbound.
The two vehicles struck head-on. The Soul continued into the center median where it came to rest. The Tahoe rolled onto its top and came to rest across both northbound lanes.
Jewell was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries in the crash. Vences was transported to Medical City Decatur with non-incapacitating injuries. His passenger, Maria Tinico, 42, Dallas, and a six-year-old male minor were not injured, while a passenger, a 12-year-old minor, was transported to Medical City with non-incapacitating injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
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