ELLIS COUNTY – The lone local GOP primary runoff held May 26 resulted in a win for Matthew Zajic for County Commissioner Precinct 2.
Current commissioner in Prec. 2 Lane Grayson will now be vacating the seat he resigned from on May 1.
Grayson’s resignation led to the need to appoint an interim commissioner in the seat to fill the vacancy until a permanent successor was determined through the election process in November.
Grayson stayed in his Prec. 2 until the primary election outcome because Ellis County Judge John Wray had decided to wait and appoint the winner of the Republican runoff election to the seat.
According to Texas law, when a vacancy occurs in the position of county commissioner, the county judge is responsible for appointing a qualified individual, who is a resident of the precinct, to fill the position.
“As such, the decision to appoint the winner of the runoff election is intended to respect the will of the Precinct 2 voters while also ensuring consistency in leadership and maintaining reliable and essential services for the community,” Wray said of his decision in early May.
Zajic won the primary runoff against his opponent John Paul Dineen III with 67.55% of the vote in another pitiful Ellis County voter turnout of just 9% of voters.