BEAUMONT, Texas — Republican Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg has won the race for county clerk of Jefferson County.
Acosta-Hellberg, defeated her Democratic opponent Jes Prince.
Acosta-Hellberg will take over the office of county clerk from interim county clerk Laurie Leister who took over after longtime county clerk Carolyn Guidry stepped down so that she could run for county judge.
Guidry, who held the office for the past two decades, ran against Jeff Branick for the county judge seat.
The Jefferson County clerk oversees all public records, and whoever wins will play an important role in administering elections.
Both Prince and Acosta-Hellberg ran unopposed in the March 2022 primary election and automatically advanced to the general election.
Acosta-Hellberg has a background in healthcare administration, having had previous jobs managing hospitals. She is the current area chair for the Texas Workforce Commission.
“I've spent time with a lot of individuals throughout the state and learned there are new ways to do things,” Acosta-Hellberg told 12News during her campaign. “So, I will focus a lot on that, integrity. Everyone is always questioning pieces of the election. Did it happen? Did it not happen? And I don't want that to ever happen here.”
She has served on boards, including the Red Cross, and is involved at the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce.
"I've served in a lot of different communities," Acosta-Hellberg previously told 12News.
Southeast Texas voters made their choices Tuesday in federal and state level races including U.S. Rep for districts 14 and 36 and multiple statewide races including Texas Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General.
Voters made decisions in several county-level races, school board races, a few school bonds and a handful of city races.
Some of the races to watch in Southeast Texas were the Jefferson County races for Texas State Rep District 22, 317th District Judge, County Judge, County Clerk and Precinct Two Justice of the Peace.
Voters in Newton County had a $26.5 million bond to decide on.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.