PALO PINTO COUNTY—As early voting gets underway Oct. 21, the only locally contested race within Palo Pinto County is for sheriff and that’s due to a write-in candidate – Christopher A. Perricone.
Not to be confused with former Mineral Wells Mayor Christopher M. Perricone, the fill-in-the-blank challenger is his dad. The elder Perricone is up against Republican sheriff nominee JR Patterson, who beat Doug Hart in the March primaries. No Democrat filed for the race.
Perricone, Sr. served in the United States Marine Corp. as well as the Texas Army National Guard. He earned an associate’s degree from Tarrant County Junior College and is a Certified Financial Advisor where he said he’s managed assets worth more than $17 million.
The senior Perricone said he’s also worked as an auto mechanic and truck driver “navigating through the lower 48 states providing Chris (his son) with a broad perspective on law enforcement needs and community safety.”
As sheriff, the write-in contender maintained he would commit to lowering crime rates and promoting conservative values, effective training, accountability and transparency in law enforcement.
“With roots in our community and a comprehensive background in military and public service, I support safer Palo Pinto County communities,” Perricone, Sr. said.
Patterson, a Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s deputy, readily welcomes his challenger to the race and looks forward to the outcome – whatever it may be.
“I’m excited no matter what,” Patterson explained. “I feel like this is a calling that has been answered and if that’s part of the calling, then I’m good.”
Patterson is a Mineral Wells High School graduate, worked at EC Cattle Co. and moved on to general contracting. He’s been a patrol deputy with the PPC Sheriff’s Department for nearly five years and completed credits as an officer in marine safety and field training.
Patterson said his top three concerns as sheriff would be “drugs, mental health, and the theft that goes along with them,” in an interview with the Palo Pinto Press earlier this year.
Outside of county-level contests, GOP incumbent U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, of Weatherford, is also facing a write-in contender to represent Congressional District 25 – Chad Hagg, of Abilene. The district includes Palo Pinto County and southern Parker County.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz faces off against Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, as well as Libertarian Ted Brown and write-in candidates Rev. Tracy Andrus, of Marshall, and Analisa Roche, of Fort Worth.
Four candidates are vying to unseat Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick: Democratic candidate Katherine Culbert, Libertarian candidate Hawk Dunlap, Green Party rival Eddie Espinoza and write-in opponent Richard McKibbin, of Ector.
The Railroad Commission is the state’s oldest regulatory agency. The commission oversees the Lone Star State’s oil and gas industry, not railroads.
There’s no write-in candidate challenging incumbent Sen. Phil King’s District 10 seat, but Democrat and immigration lawyer Andy Morris is running for the job. Originally from Arizona, Morris now resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
District 10 stretches across eight counties including all of Palo Pinto County and the southwest half of Parker County.
On a federal level, several write-in presidential and vice-presidential duos are opposing the Republican and Democratic nominees including:
- Shiva Ayy Adurai/Crystak Ellis
- Jessie Cuellar/Wesley Lasley
- Claudia De la Cruz/Karina Garcia
- Peter Sonski/Lauren Onak
- Cornel West/Melinal Abdullah
Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance, and Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, will also face Libertarian candidates Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat, and the Green Party’s Jill Stein and Rudolph Ware.
Some voters dissatisfied with current candidates may be tempted to write in a name not found on the ballot. Election officials said all-time favorites include Jesus or Mickey Mouse.
But in Texas, as in most states, it won’t count unless whoever voters scribble down is a declared and registered write-in candidate. It’s not even physically possible to jot down a name if nobody has filed as a write-in candidate – there’s no space for it on the ballot.
Early voting runs Oct. 21 – Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 5.
For local sample ballots, polling locations, dates and times, visit the Palo Pinto County Elections Administration at www.co.palo-pinto.tx.us/page/Elections, or call 940-659-1217.
The elections administration is located at 100 SE Sixth Ave. in Mineral Wells.
