Delayed mid-summer runoff election turnout low as sheriff’s candidate sweeps all voting precincts

Posted 7/23/20

Less than 19% of the registered voters in Wood County cast votes in the July 14 primary runoff, which decided the next county sheriff and Prec. 1 commissioner.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Delayed mid-summer runoff election turnout low as sheriff’s candidate sweeps all voting precincts

Posted

Less than 19% of the registered voters in Wood County cast votes in the July 14 primary runoff, which decided the next county sheriff and Prec. 1 commissioner.

Despite a record 2,522 early votes cast, the total of 5,855 was only 18.8% of registered voters.

That was fewer by percentage than the 2016 runoff, which drew 5,606 voters, which was 19.9%.

Kelly Cole won the Republican sheriff’s nomination and has no opposition in the November general election.

He swept all the voting boxes in winning a 3,578 to 1,632 victory over incumbent Tom Castloo. The 5,210 votes cast in the 2020 sheriff’s runoff compares to 5,364 four years ago when Castloo was elected by a slim margin.

Castloo had won two voting boxes in the primary March 3 in Winnsboro and Mineola.

Cole led the four-way March primary 4,527 to 3,729.

Virgil Holland won a third term as county commissioner by a vote of 1,078 to 637 over Keith Gilbreath. Holland also has no opposition in November.

As in the primary, Gilbreath won the Yantis voting box and Holland won the other three. The vote was 1,238 to 977 in the three-man March primary.

County elections administrator Laura Wise said the election ran smoothly despite all the extra safety precautions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the potential impact on voter turnout from the pandemic, the 2020 election also had fewer races, including no state or regional contests on the Republican side and only two statewide races on the Democratic side.

The runoff had been delayed from May 26 due to the pandemic response.

In campaign reports filed the day before the runoff, Cole reported contributions of $6,025 and expenses of $4,925 for the period since the primary.

Castloo reported contributions of $4,175 and expenses of $3,784.

Holland reported expenditures of $1,611 with no contributions. Gilbreath had expenses of $2,445 with no contributions.