Runoff to decide tax commissioner, sheriff races in Terrell County

DAWSON — The candidates running for tax commissioner and sheriff in Terrell County are maintaining their primary campaign strategies going into the July 26 runoff election.

Chief Tax Appraiser Darlene Paul and Mary Ellen Harnage, a 17-year employee of the county’s tax commissioner’s office, are running for the tax commissioner seat that will soon be vacated by Peggy Pritchard.

Meanwhile, incumbent John Bowens and former law enforcement officer James Driver Jr. are still in the race for sheriff.

Paul, who was the frontrunner during the primary after receiving 795 votes, said she is still knocking on doors and speaking to as many people as she can. Since she is working full-time, Paul said she does her campaigning from the time she gets off work until 7 p.m.

She also campaigns on Saturdays until noon, but does not go out on Sundays or Wednesday afternoons due to church activities typically scheduled on those days.

“I’m seeing as many people as I can one more time,” Paul said.

If elected, Paul said she would act as a working commissioner with an open-door policy. She wants to be just as visible as the people selling tags and collecting taxes, while also letting people know that there is more to the tax commissioner’s office than those duties.

She said she wants to keep the voters she won over during the May 24 Democratic primary, while trying to sway a few others so she can bring the office up to speed in a 21st-century world.

“It is very important to exercise one of the last freedoms we have, which is the right to vote,” Paul said.

Harnage received a total of 506 votes during the primary election. Attempts to reach her for comment by Friday afternoon were unsuccessful.

Driver, currently working in a management role at Thompson Gas Co., has continued going door-to-door since coming out of the May 24 primary with 697 votes, or 31.12 percent of those cast, to Bowens’ 917 votes.

“I’m still maintaining the same (platform),” the challenger said. “I’m running for change in Terrell County. I’m running for the betterment of all the citizens of Terrell County.”

Driver said he has seen a good response from people throughout the county, so his hope is that there will be a good turnout in the runoff so change can be brought forward.

“All I can do is continue to do what I always have done,” he said. “I don’t take this lightly. I want people to know I want this job.

“I want the citizens to know I’m dedicated to them and appreciate their support. (I want them) to cast their vote so I can get in the position.”

If re-elected to another term, Bowens will become the longest-serving sheriff in county history. He said Terrell County voters are familiar with his campaign platform and that he is maintaining it. He added that he is comfortable with his standing going into the runoff and is looking forward to putting July 26 behind him.

“There is not much to say other than to ask people to go out and vote a second time,” he said. “(I intend to be) fair and equal and be a sheriff for every citizen in Terrell County.

“I have an open-door policy. I have always been a working sheriff, and I will continue to do that.”

Polls open Tuesday for advance in-person voting leading up to the runoff.