TYLER, Texas — Smith County Pct. 1 Commissioner Pam Frederick has asked for manual recount following a narrow loss against her challenger during the March Republican primary.
Christina Drewry received 4,636 votes, or 50.55% of the vote, while Frederick received 4,535 votes, or 49.45% of the vote, in the March 5 primary election, according to Smith County official election results.
David Stein, chairman of the Smith County Republican Party, said in a notice Thursday that Frederick has petitioned for a manual recount under the Texas Election Code. The recount is happening on the grounds that the difference between Frederick and Drewry's results was less than 10%.
Only areas within the Smith County Pct. 1 commissioner constituency will be recounted. This includes the following voter registration precincts: 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 50, 54, 58, 64, 71, 74, 75 and 79. Precinct 1 covers the southwest portion of the county, which includes areas like Bullard, Tyler, Flint and Noonday.
Stein will supervise the recount and Denise Rives, assigned secretary of the Smith County Republican Party Executive Committee, will serve as the recount coordinator. The Recount Committee members have not been selected yet.
The recount will be held at the Cotton Belt Building, located at 1517 West Front Street in Tyler in Room 257, beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26.
"No device capable of recording images or sounds is allowed inside the recount room or within 30 feet of the entrance of the recount room unless the device is off," the notice read.
Frederick began serving in the commissioner role after the November 2022 election as current Smith County Judge Neal Franklin stepped into the judge role after serving as Pct. 1 commissioner. She was mayor of Bullard from 2011 to 2022.
Drewry describes herself as a servant, wife and mother who is not a politician. On her website, she says her problem-solving skills and building relationships can be used within county government to make positive change for the taxpayers and county employees.