Estes wins Donley Co., faces December runoff

Voters in Donley County chose Craig Estes to be their next State Senator in Tuesday’s special election to fill the seat of the late Sen. Tom Haywood.

Estes, a Republican from Wichita Falls, was leading his five other opponents across District 30 by 49.5 percent of the vote, according to reports at press time. Local voters chose him by a margin of 136 to 95 for his nearest competitor, Democrat Greg Underwood.

Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, Estes and Underwood will face each other in a runoff election to be held next month.

Turnout was low for Tuesday’s polling with only 340 people – or 13.2 percent of registered voters – casting ballots locally.

Voters also considered 19 amendments to the Texas Constitution on Tuesday, and Donley County citizens favored all but two of them. Propositions 2 and 14 failed locally.

Statewide results showed all propositions passing at press time on Tuesday night. Complete local results will be published next week.

Local results on the constitutional amendment were as follows: 

Prop. 1. To give up the state’s claim to a parcel of land in Bastrop County: 219 Yes, 94 No.

Prop. 2. To authorize bonds for road construction in border communities: 157 Yes, 166, No.

Prop. 3. To exempt raw cocoa and green coffee in Harris County from property tax: 170 Yes, 146 No.

Prop. 4. To extend the two-year term of the Fire Fighter’s Pension Commissioner to four years: 240 Yes, 85 No.

Prop. 5. To allow cities to donate outdated fire equipment to underdeveloped nations: 218 Yes, 110 No.

Prop. 6. To require the Texas governor to call a special legislative session to appoint presidential electors when an election outcome is uncertain: 174 Yes, 153 No.

Prop. 7. To authorize bonds for veterans’ housing loans and cemeteries: 230 Yes, 96 No.

Prop. 8. To authorize bonds for construction and repairs at 11 state agencies: 175 Yes, 146 No.

Prop. 9. To permit lawmakers to cancel a special election to fill a legislative vacancy when there is only one qualified candidate: 235 Yes, 92 No.

Prop. 10. To broaden exemptions on personal property used for manufacturing stored in the state temporarily: 214 Yes, 107 No.

Prop. 11. To allow teachers to be paid to serve in local government positions: 208 Yes, 117 No.

Prop. 12. To permit clean up of duplicative or obsolete language in the state constitution: 226 Yes, 99 No.

Prop. 13. To permit school districts to donate property for historic preservation: 255 Yes, 74 No.

Prop. 14. To allow property tax exemption on travel trailers to promote tourism: 151 Yes,  177 No.

Prop. 15. To create a fund to authorize grants and loans for transportation projects: 192 Yes, 141 No.

Prop. 16. To allow a home improvement lien on a manufactured home to be refinanced and rolled into a real property lien under certain conditions: 197 Yes, 122 No.

Prop. 17. To give the Legislature authority to settle land-title disputes when the question is based on inaccurate surveys relating to the Permanent School Fund: 201 Yes, 121

Prop. 18. To lock all court fees into a consolidation and standardization program created by the Legislature: 253 Yes, 70 No.

Prop. 19. To authorize bonds for loans to repair, expand, and improve water facilities: 202 Yes, 123 No.