Washington County Incumbents Holding On

— All three incumbents for Washington County’s full-time offices will keep their jobs in 2013 if momentum from early and absentee voting results carried through the night.

The two Republican incumbents running the assessor’s and tax collector’s offices and the Democratic incumbent treasurer took the lead in early and absentee voting Tuesday evening. No additional results were available before press time.

Treasurer Roger Haney, a Democrat and one of the county’s longest sitting full-time officials, appeared to be winning his race against challenger Russell Hill, a first-time candidate and Republican.

With partial results reported, Haney got 13,582 votes (54 percent) to Hill’s 11,408 votes (46 percent).

Haney has worked for the county for about 34 years. He first worked for County Judge Charles Johnson before being elected treasurer in 1998.

Haney has provided revenue projections for the county’s Quorum Court in his seven terms and is commonly praised by justices of the peace for his accuracy.

Assessor Jeff Williams, a one-term incumbent, appeared to be winning his race against challenger Dan Cypert, a former county deputy chief assessor.

With partial results reported, Williams got 14,481 votes (57 percent) to Cypert’s 11,025 votes (43 percent).

Williams has installed more than $49,000 in computer software and equipment since 2011. He has said he hopes to use aerial photography taken annually of all real estate property and use mapping software to do basic assessments.

Tax Collector David Ruff, a six-term Republican, appeared to be winning his race against challenger Greg Bradford, a first-time Democratic candidate.

With partial results reported, Ruff got 16,207 votes (64 percent) to Bradford’s 9,282 votes (36 percent).

Ruff began his first term in 2001 after serving on the Quorum Court from 1993 to 2000. Ruff was chairman of the county’s Personnel Committee and Jail and Law Enforcement Committee during his terms as justice of the peace.

In races for the two open offices, Becky Lewallen, the Republican candidate for county clerk, got an endorsement from County Clerk Karen Combs Pritchard, who will retire at the end of the year. Lewallen appeared to be winning her race against Democrat challenger Ann Upton.

With partial results reported, Lewallen got 13,506 votes (54 percent) to Upton’s 11,658 votes (46 percent).

Lewallen works as Pritchard’s election administrative assistant and absentee ballot clerk in an office of more than 10 employees. Lewallen said she has worked in all aspects of the county clerk’s office, including helping with the lengthy process of redrawing political boundaries required every decade after the U.S. Census.

With an endorsement from Circuit Clerk Bette Stamps, who retires this year, Democratic candidate Mona Piazza held a slim lead against Republican challenger Kyle Sylvester.

With partial results reported, Piazza got 12,881 votes (51 percent) to Sylvester’s 12,33 votes (49 percent).

Piazza said she has 20 years of clerical and computer experience. She has worked for the county for nine years, five of those in the circuit clerk’s office.

Sylvester said he has 22 years of law enforcement experience, including 17 as a supervisor.

Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards, Sheriff Tim Helder and Coroner Roger Morris ran unopposed this year.

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