HAYS COUNTY (KXAN) – Following the resignation of Hays County District Clerk Avrey Anderson, two candidates are vying to fill the vacant position.
In 2022, voters in Hays County elected 19-year-old political newcomer, Avrey Anderson, as their district clerk. Anderson ran as a Democrat, who had no prior experience.
After he took office, controversy followed – there were issues with jury summons, a district judge found him incompetent and a lawsuit was filed to have him removed. Citing stress from the removal proceedings, Anderson resigned from the position in July.
A Texas district clerk is the overseer of all filed district court lawsuits. They keep track of lawsuits from filing to conclusion and help prepare case records for suits that appear in front of a judge.
A district clerk is also the financial officer of the district court and the jury manager. Among other responsibilities, they manage the court’s registry, preserve historical records, invest funds for minors who win lawsuits, and send out jury summons.
The two candidates (listed in alphabetical order)
Amanda Calvert – Democrat
Calvert has spent more than a decade working in the Hays County District Attorney’s Office. There, she works as the felony lead supervisor which oversees all the administrative work for felony cases in the county, she said.
“We work in tandem with the District Clerk’s Office,” Calvert said. “We file subpoenas, they process them. So [the district clerk role] very much mirrors the job I have now – the experience and the level of understanding of the whole criminal justice system.”
Calvert said the last two years in the District Clerk’s Office have elucidated the need for a candidate with a great deal of experience to take on the role.
“One of the reasons I’m running is because I want to bring experience to that job,” Calvert said. “It’s a highly skilled job. It requires a lot of knowledge,” she continued. “I’m specifically running because I feel like I already have that experience, and if I didn’t, I don’t believe I would run for this position.”
Philip Muzzy – Republican
Muzzy said he has a diverse leadership background – he’s a veteran, was an associate principal at a school and owns a construction company.
He said his experience would allow him to, “cultivate a culture of accountability, positivity, and continuous improvement,” Muzzy said. “[I would] navigate the office and be able to lead members of our diverse teams in a winning and positive manner to get these goals accomplished.”
Muzzy said the Hays County District Clerk’s office is in need of a solid leader.
“That office needs stability. It needs leadership. That’s what’s been lacking over the last two years. Moving forward, I’d like to provide that,” Muzzy said. “I think it’s important to have somebody who’s able to do the job for the betterment of our neighborhood and our community.”
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7 and early voting begins on Oct. 25.