JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — As Jefferson County leaders prepare to say goodbye to Commissioner Vernon Pierce, they're being forced to moved forward and talk about what's next.
Pierce died Sunday after a year-long battle with cancer.
He recently won the GOP primary and in the interim former commissioner Eddie Arnold will fill the seat.
The Precinct 1 Commissioner budgets for bridges, roads and manages updates to the Jefferson County Courthouse. So who will fill the seat permanently after Pierce's passing?
"In Commissioner Pierce's honor and my friendship for him and loyalty to the county," said Arnold.
Arnold was asked to fill the seat between now and until the end of the year.
"Let the people of Jefferson County know that my short tenure between now and the end of the year, I'll try to put the best interest of the county citizens, tax payers upfront and continuing the legacy that Commissioner Pierce has established," said Arnold.
Pierce won the March primaries as the republican nominee for Precinct 1 Commissioner. It's now up to the Jefferson County republican party and Jefferson County Commissioners to fill that seat.
"At some point after Commissioner Pierce's services I'll call for somewhat of a special election. That will involve the republican party precinct chairs, that represent the voter precincts in Commissioner Precinct 1 and from that point there will be like an interview process," said Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Joe Evans.
It's these entities that will hold a special election and choose who will be on the ballot in November.
Pierce id have a republican opponent, Brandon Willis.
"We always made it a point to shake hands. And he would tell me 'hey you did a good job up there on stage.' Or I'd tell him the same," Willis told 12News.
After receiving 40% of the votes, Willis still wants to represent Precinct 1.
"I would tell people that voted in that race to call your precinct chairs and say 'hey we still want somebody that we voted for.' Because we certainly don't want to take it out of the hands of the voters," he said.
The Jefferson County Clerk, Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg, tells 12News that since there were no democratic contenders in the primaries, democrats cannot advocate for this seat.
“The filing periods have passed. And so the only individual that you know was moving forward was Commissioner Pierce. So it’s gonna be a party designation at this point. Per the legislative statutes," she said.
The GOP chairman suggests calling your Jefferson County Commissioners with your nomination suggestions.