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There will be a new sheriff in town after the results of the 2024 primary elections on Tuesday, March 5 as Justin Lindemann took the voting majority during the election. The Colorado County Elections Office released the unofficial results of the joint primaries at around 10 p.m. that night.
Results are only official after a process of canvassing by the Commissioners Court. Any run-off elections will occur during the May 4 elections prior to the Presidential election in November. Colorado County had 2,543 voters participate in the early voting period. The following are the unofficial results.
There were a few uncontested elections that will have the standing incumbents return to their post. Jay Johannes will be returning as the County Attorney as his reelection was uncontested. Keith Neuendorff will continue his post as County Commissioner for Precinct 3.
Richard LaCourse, Lonnie Hinze and Ivan Menke will return to the post of Constable for precincts 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
The following are the results for contested elections.
For the Tax Collector-Assessor position, Bruce Besch, incumbent Erica Kollaja and Melinda Zajicek were on the ballot. Zajicek finished with the most votes after taking over 44% of the vote. Kollaja was next with over 40% of the vote. This election may potentially have a runoff until a candidate can take a majority with over 50% of the vote.
The County Sheriff was chosen between current Deputy Justin Lindemann and Columbus Police Department Captain Wendy Alley. Justin Lindemann won the election with just under 61% of the vote.
The County Commissioner for Precinct 1 was an election between Rueben Taylor and Shannon Owers. Owers won the unofficial election with just under 66% of the vote.
The Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace position came down to the incumbent Donald Clark, Will Schneider and Bennie Zajicek. Clark took the lead with over 37% of the vote. Zajicek was next with just under 32% of the vote. Schneider had over 30% of the vote. This election may also have a runoff election.
The Precinct 4 Constable was a choice between Adrian Flores and incumbent Darrell Stancik. Stancik won the election with over 80% of the vote.
Further reporting will be published in the March 13 edition of the Citizen.
