Kinard wins Galveston Co. district clerk race

GALVESTON - In the span of almost a year, the Galveston County District Clerk's Office has seen three people at its helm.

Republican John Kinard emerged the winner of a contest with Democrat and former district clerk Latonia Wilson Tuesday night.

Kinard, an attorney who once served as an FBI special agent, earned 64,670 votes to top Wilson's 42,096, according to current election figures.

He will replace Doryn Danner Glenn, who assumed the position after previous clerk Jason Murray stepped down to address personal and legal matters earlier this year.

Murray was elected in 2010 as part of the Republican sweep in virtually every countywide election two years ago, himself unseating the then-incumbent Wilson.

Marital troubles and a series of run-ins with law enforcement prompted the 38-year-old Murray to vacate the post.

Murray, who was recently indicted by a grand jury, cited his desire not to be a distraction as a reason for his resignation.

Glenn succeeded him by way of unanimous vote by the county's six district court judges.

On his campaign website, Kinard vowed to enhance Internet access to public records maintained by the district clerk's office as well as fully implement e-filing capabilities for attorneys.

The site also stated that Kinard "will utilize his extensive FBI training and experience in disaster preparation to ensure that district clerk operations and records are protected."