Early voting ends Friday
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Rust

The final day to vote early in the run-off election for the office of Pct. #3 Constable is Friday. Regular voting is Tuesday, April 8.

Gary Guthrie and Dustin Rust emerged as the top votegetters in the four-candidate Republican primary in March.

Rust, who is currently an officer with the Whitehouse Police Department, is a graduate of East Texas Police Academy with more than 13 years of law enforcement experience. He is a former Smith County Sheriff's deputy and is a partner in an emergency equipment outfitting service.

Rust has been endorsed by Danny Smith, the current constable in Pct. #3, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Smith County Employees Association and the Smith County Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.

Guthrie retired from the Air Force in 1994 and just returned from Iraq where he was employed with a civilian contractor. He said he is a certified civil deputy constable with 16 years of experience and 25 years of experience all together as a peace officer.

According to the office of credentialing and enforcement at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, Guthrie's peace officers license is currently in an inactive status. He says that is because he is currently not employed as a peace officer.

Guthrie

The most recent financial reports that are mandated by the Texas Ethics Commission have been filed by both run-off candidates. However Guthrie did not file two of the three prior reports and the one he did file was late.

Early voting locations are Lindale Masonic Lodge, 200 Margaret St.; Whitehouse United Methodist Church, 405 W. Main; and Smith County Annex, 200 E. Ferguson, Suite 500 in Tyler. Hours for early voting are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 3 and 4. Regular voting locations will be the same as they were for the primary elections in March. Hours for voting are 7 a.m to 7 p.m. on April 8.

If unsure where to vote contact the Smith County elections office at 903-590-4777.