Clarissa Webster has been re-elected Ector County District Clerk in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
She faced Christina “Chris” Bryson.
The 48-year-old Webster is serving her second term as district clerk and has been in the job for seven years.
Webster collected 5,642 votes (62.19%), while Bryson had 3,430 (37.81%).
After early voting was in, Webster didn’t want to assume that she had won.
“I think it’s only fair to wait until all the numbers are in,” she said.
“My opponent did a good job campaigning and we both worked really, really hard, so I’d rather not assume just yet,” Webster added.
Bryson has spent the last 23 years as an adult probation officer for Ector County Community Supervision Corrections Department.
With six boxes and early voting in, Bryson said she tried her best.
“I think we ran a great race against each other so far and it’s not going to matter who wins. I just hope everybody learns from stuff like this,” Bryson said.
She has never run for office before.
“It’s a lot of work. It can be very tiring sometimes. Luckily, I’ve got my family that has been a great support and I’ve got some great friends that have also supported me and luckily I had them standing behind me. That made it worth it and so I’m glad I did it. I don’t regret doing this because it is a learning lesson, but like I’ve told other people I have a job with the county already and I love my job. This was just something else to further my career for me personally,” Bryson said.
Webster graduated from Permian Basin Christian School in 1990 and then continued her education at Pensacola Christian College and then received her certification as a paralegal from the National Association of Legal Assistants in 2007.
When Webster was first elected to the position of district clerk, she was tasked with moving records from paper to digital. All documents from court proceedings, whether it’s criminal or civil, are scanned and put into the Ector County Portal.
Bryson was born and raised in Odessa. She graduated from Odessa High School in 1987 and then graduated from UTPB in 1998 with a degree in behavioral science (psychology). Bryson has prior knowledge of the district clerk’s office as she worked there for five years under Jackie Sue Barnes, who retired from the position in 2002.
Bryson also worked for one year as the director of the compliance department where she worked with individuals having to make payments to the county for court costs.
For the last 23 years, Bryson has worked as an adult probation officer for Ector County Community Supervision Corrections Department. Bryson said she has worked closely with the district clerk’s office, district attorney’s office and the district judges.
