The final numbers for the Democratic primary race for Travis County Commissioner Precinct 3 show Ann Howard with a commanding 48% of of the vote, while Valinda Bolton took second place with almost 30%.
Sheri Soltes recieved 7,401 votes and Shiloh Newman garnered 3,711 votes.
Results are not final until all votes are canvasses, but should the numbers hold, Howard and Bolton will face off in a runoff election for the Democratic nomination May 26.
Initial story
The race for Travis County Commissioner Precinct 3 will be decided in November, but the four-person Democratic primary shows Ann Howard in the lead with 14,526 votes, of which 11,750 are early voting totals.
Becky Bray, who received an endorsement from outgoing Precinct 3 Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, is the lone Republican candidate.
Following Daugherty’s announcement in December that he would not run for reelection in 2020, five candidates filed to run for the position. The four Democrats running for precinct 3 are Valinda Bolton, Ann Howard, Shiloh Newman and Sheri Soltes.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the total vote, then the top two candidates will face off in a runoff election May 26.
Howard and Bolton are so far the top two candidates based on early voting numbers. Bolton has 9,126 votes, of which 7,448 are from early voting totals. Soltes is in third with 4,072 votes and Newman is fourth with 1,853 votes. That could change as results trickle in from Travis County's elections office.
Whoever ends up winning the precinct 3 spot will have big shoes to fill, as Daugherty held that position for 14 years.
“It has been a privilege and honor to serve my neighbors as their commissioner,” Daugherty said in a Dec. 5 press release. “I’ve done my very best to deliver on the promises that I’ve made over time. I’ve fought for honest, cost-effective transportation solutions, for a comprehensive road system, and for a fiscally conservative county government. While no one in public office ever achieves all of their objectives, I’ve always thought that serving my constituents was my primary job, and I’m proud of the things we have been able to achieve together.”
Daugherty’s signature issue while in office has been transportation, and the release states his primary achievement for the area he covered was the completion of SH 45, which connected MoPac to FM 1626.
All totals are unofficial until the votes are canvassed.
