BEAUMONT, Texas — Four candidates are planning to throw their hats into the ring in the race for Jefferson County's Precinct One Commissioner following the death of Vernon Pierce.
Pierce, who had served as the Precinct One Commissioner since 2020, died on April 14, 2024, a little more than a month after winning the race in the March 5th Republican primary election.
Beaumont city Ward Two council member Mike Getz, who has held office since 2011, announced his intentions to run for the seat on Thursday.
Getz will be among four others who are seeking to be nominated by the Jefferson County Republican Party to be put on the November 2024 ballot for the Precinct One Commissioner seat.
Bernie Daleo, who is vice president of the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 6 Board, Brandon Willis, who ran against Pierce in the March 2024 primary election and Jennifer Pate, who works in Government Relations & Industry Advancement at Texas Materials, are also seeking to be nominated for the November ballot, according to Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Joe Evans, Jr.
After receiving 40% of the votes in the primary election, Willis still wants to represent Precinct One according to file stories.
"We put the work in and I'm the only candidate this go round that actually got votes in the primary. I think it would be a bad look and disrespectful to the voters to not take that into consideration," Willis said.
Willis says if he wins the commissioner's seat, he plans on focusing his attention on more than just roads and bridges.
"My niche is workforce development. We've got over $230 billion worth of industrial work right here in our backyard. So I want to make sure we're connecting the citizens of Precinct One and of Jefferson County to these jobs," he said.
Jennifer Pate told 12News by phone on Thursday that after Pierce died she began considering making a run to fill his seat.
"Vernon was doing an awesome job," Pate told 12News, saying she was disappointed that he was not able to able finish his term and take his next one.
Daleo describes Pierce as a friend and an exceptional leader for the county saying he will be missed.
"If selected to fill his vacancy on the commissioners’ court it will be an honor for me to continue his legacy and serve the county as the next commissioner of Precinct One" Daleo told 12News on Thursday.
Getz tells 12News that he's ready to serve his community.
"A lot of the portion that I currently serve in Ward Two is actually also in Commissioner Precinct One. I have served as Ward Two councilman for 13 years now. I've run seven elections and won each of those several times," he said.
Getz says he hopes to use his experience as a city councilman and established relationship with county leaders to bring the two worlds together.
"There are things I want to do out at the county looking at Ford Park making it more productive. The main job of a commissioner is help participate in setting the budget and also to make sure the infrastructure out in the rural areas is maintained," Getz said.
Because no Democrat ran in the primary, whoever is nominated by the party will likely win the office and become the next Precinct One commissioner.
Former Precinct One Commissioner Eddie Arnold, who retired as Precinct One Commissioner in 2019, was appointed to finish out Pierce's term which will end in December 2024.
The Jefferson County Republican precinct chairs of the voting precincts within Jefferson County's Precinct One will be voting on who the party will nominate to be on the November 2024 ballot and most likely win the seat.
Republican Party chairman Joe Evans, Jr. will outline the rules and procedures required by the state to nominate a candidate for the seat at the party's monthly meeting on May 7, 2024.
The filing period for anyone interested in the seat is tentatively set for May 7 - June 7, 2024, Evans told 12News on Thursday. Following the filing period the candidates will have the chance to campaign before GOP voters in Precinct One, Evans said.
Candidates will have the chance to urge voters to tell their GOP precinct chairs who they would like the chairs to pick to be on the November ballot Evans said.
Evans says he tentatively expects have the precinct chairs make their vote on the third Saturday in July, which is July 20, 2024.
Jefferson County Clerk Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg has agreed to come and count the votes according to Evans.
There is the possibility that someone may file to run for the seat on the November ballot as a write-in candidate but they would not be affiliated with a party and their name would not be on the ballot according to Acosta-Hellberg.
The period for anyone to declare as a write-in candidate for the November 5, 2024, election is from July 20, 2024 through August 19, 2024, according to the Texas Secretary of State's website.