By CHARLES RICHARDS
eParisExtra.com
Gene C. Hobbs Jr., who will be on the Republican ballot for the May 29 primary election as a candidate for re-election as constable for Precinct 5, had an intriguing post late Sunday on Facebook:
“Found out yesterday that there is a mistake on the mail-out ballots. My name is listed as Gene C. Hodges Jr.!!!”
That’s a particularly embarrassing typographical error, since Hobbs’ opponent in the race is Jimmy Hodges.
Today, Lamar County elections administrator Russ Towers confirmed the misprint.
“I just missed it on the proof,” Towers said.
“I will have to double-check with the Secretary of State’s office to see what to do. I know we are going to have ballots reprinted. Fortunately, it’s not the entire county.”
Every registered voter in the Paris city limits votes in Precinct 5.
Towers said he learned of the problem from Hobbs, who told him one of his constituents called him and told him his name was misspelled.
,About 200 mail-out ballots have been sent out, Towers said.
Hobbs has been the Precinct 5 constable since 2001. He is seeking his fourth 4-year term.
Today is the last day to register to vote for the May 29 election.
First day of early voting for the May 29 primary is May 14. Early voting continues through May 25.
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Charles Richards Charles Richards moved to Paris in 2004 after retiring from a 40-year career in journalism – the last 26 years as a news writer and sports writer with The Associated Press in Dallas and Washington, D.C. In mid-2004, The Paris News coaxed him out of retirement, and he began covering the police, court and regional beat for The Paris News. Then in early 2005, he was switched to coverage of a sharply divided Paris City Council. He was appointed by the City Council in 2006 to the 12-member City Charter Review Commission, which extensively rewrote the outmoded document. His writing awards include two first-place awards in statewide competition for feature writing. The most recent was his 2005 story on a Paris doctor’s startling use of leeches in a successful attempt to re-attach a man’s severed ear. Over his career, Richards’ interview subjects include Alabama Gov. George Wallace, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, David Koresh, Arnold Palmer, Muhammad Ali and numerous other political and sports figures. He is an alumnus of Texas Tech, where he was editor of the school newspaper. He lives in Paris with his wife, Barbara, who is retired after 30 years as a teacher and high school counselor.
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