Early voting for the runoff election between Connie Ogle and Julie Sims for the seat of Justice of the Peace Precinct 1&3 will begin on Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22. Voting will be from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Gray County Courthouse, 205 N. Russell in Room 104.
Election day will be May 26 and voting will be held at the MK Brown Auditorium, located at 1100 W. Coronado Dr from 7 AM to 7 PM. For residents living in Lefors, voting will be at the Lefors Senior Citizens Center, located at 806 N. Main from 7 AM to 7 PM, and those living in McLean, voting will be at the McLean Lovett Library, located at 302 N. Main from 7 AM to 7 PM.
About the Candidates
Connie Ogle has served as Justice of the Peace Precinct 2&4 for nearly ten years and has an extensive background in law enforcement. When she was 17, she went to work for Grand Prairie Police Department as a midnight PBX operator before deciding to become a police officer. She graduated from the police academy and went to work in 1987 in Richland Hills.
When Connie moved to Pampain 1991, she would start at the Pampa Police Department in 1992, and she would then go to work for the Gray County Sheriff’s Office under then-sheriff Jimmy Free. She would go back to the police department until 2005 when she went to the District Attorney’s office to work as an investigator under Lynn Switzer.
She would then go to Carson County as a jail administrator, making her way up to captain before leaving to work for Homeland Security as a guard.
She would come back to Pampa and work in the District Clerk’s office for a year before applying and being appointed as JP 2&4 upon Judge Curfman’s resignation, and winning the seat that next election.
“I’ve met so many good people, and I pride myself on being impartial and fair, because that’s what I would expect someone to be with me and everyone deserves that.”
Julie Sims has been serving as the current Justice of the Peace 1&3 for over a year and has an extensive background in public service. After obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice in May of 1998, she would join the Lefors Fire Department, and it was there she would take an interest in Emergency Management Services. She would complete her basics to work full time for Guardian EMS that covered Pampa at that time before it would transition to Pampa EMS in 2009, and then ultimately transition to Hemphill County EMS in 2019. She worked in Pampa for a while before going to work in Borger for their EMS for eight years until coming back to work for Pampa.
In 2024, Julie was presented an opportunity to run for JP 1&3 when it was announced that Judge Goodman would be retiring. She would run for the position uncontested, and in January of 2025, she was officially sworn in.
“I just really enjoy being able to serve Gray County in this capacity. I really enjoy being around people, talking with people and visiting with them whenever they come in here.”
