Bobby Rich Wins Nail-Biting Republican Primary for Kaufman County Court at Law No. 2

KAUFMAN COUNTY — After several days of uncertainty following one of the closest elections in recent county history, the Republican primary for County Court at Law No. 2 has been officially concluded. Updated results released by Kaufman County election officials reveal that Bobby Rich has defeated Rob Farquharson by a mere nine votes after the final review of ballots.

The updated tally indicates:

• Bobby Rich: 6,510 votes (50.03%)

• Rob Farquharson: 6,501 votes (49.97%)

In total, 13,011 ballots were cast in this fiercely contested race. The final result shows a slight change from the initial election night margin of just three votes, reflecting additional ballots counted during the standard post-election review process.

Provisional Ballots and Final Review

Texas election law mandates a post-election verification process prior to finalizing results. During this period, election officials review ballots that were not included in the initial election night totals.

Among these ballots are provisional ballots, which are issued when a voter's eligibility cannot be immediately confirmed at the polling location. Common reasons for issuing these ballots include a voter's name not appearing on the precinct list, a lack of required identification, or other administrative issues that need to be resolved post-election.

On election day, these ballots are set aside and later reviewed by the county's ballot board. If the voter's eligibility is verified, the ballot is added to the official count. The updated results reflect the inclusion of these additional ballots during the review period, which increased the overall vote total from election night.

Breakdown of the Vote

According to the county results page, the final vote totals include ballots cast across various categories:

Bobby Rich

• Absentee: 121

• Early Voting: 3,972

• Election Day: 2,417

Rob Farquharson

• Absentee: 118

• Early Voting: 4,120

• Election Day: 2,263

Countywide totals show:

• Absentee ballots: 239

• Early voting ballots: 8,092

• Election Day ballots: 4,680

Recount Is Possible

Given the razor-thin margin in this race, Texas law permits either candidate to request a recount. Such requests must be submitted within a specific timeframe after the election results are canvassed. As of the final vote update, no recount request has been filed.

One of the Closest Races in Recent County History

The final nine-vote margin highlights just how close this contest was. Out of more than 13,000 ballots cast, the difference between the two candidates was fewer than a dozen votes — a stark reminder that in local elections, even the smallest number of ballots can determine the outcome.

With the Republican primary now finalized, Rich will advance as the party's nominee for County Court at Law No. 2.