Election returns reveal a lot about a community; in Angelina County, records reveal rampant persistence.

Political movers determinedly re-posted issues, even multiple times a year, until succeeding in pushing the polls their direction.

One election-related issue Angelina County voters lost was the poll tax repeal, posted on a special constitutional amendment election in November 1963 in which 1,448 voters were against repealing the poll tax; 960 supported its repeal.

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The effort to relocate the county seat was a popular voting issue that rarely passed the first time it was addressed. The last attempt to move the county seat, from Lufkin to Huntington in this case, was posted July 1911. Lufkin won, garnering more than twice the votes for Huntington.

Beginning in 1846, white male voters elected county officials every two years until 1955 when they approved four-year terms. County offices dating back to the beginning include county judge, commissioners, sheriff, treasurer, tax assessor/collector, county and district clerks.

In 1876 the tax assessor dropped its collector duties, which the sheriff assumed until a new and separate office for tax collector was established in 1900 . The two offices were re-combined in November 1934. Under the leadership of Angelina County tax assessor/collector Bill Shanklin, elected in November 1988, this office has also taken on the duties of election administrator for the county.

County offices that have phased out included Doris Balch, the last county school superintendent elected November 1970; L.R. Alexander, the last public weigher elected November 1946; and E.C. Dominy, the last public surveyor who began his last term in 1966.

Judicially, Angelina County belonged to state District Court No. 2 and shared a traveling district judge with Cherokee and Nacogdoches counties. The 145th state District Court was created in 1956 to help carry the load. In 1970 the 159th state District Court was created to serve Angelina County, electing David Walker as its first judge — although there were several write-in candidates who received multiple votes including Jack Dies and George Chandler. Cherokee County retained No. 2, and Nacogdoches is in the 145th district. As the county's caseload grew, Angelina County Bar Association president William Perkins submitted a request for a second judge, resulting in the creation of the 217th state with David V. Wilson as its first judge.

Clark Anderson was elected in November 1972 as Angelina County's first court-at-law judge, and Holly Perkins Meyers — Angelina's first female judge for a countywide office — was elected in November 1992.

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School-related issues and bonds have remained the most frequent type of local election since the county's inception in 1846. From creation of school districts in the mid-to-late 1800s, to consolidation of districts in the 20th century, to bond issues, public education issues have kept the polls busy.

As an example of persistence, voters agreed in 1970 to consolidate Redland and Lufkin school districts — something Redland voters opposed in a 1960 election. On Feb. 15, 1964, voters agreed to consolidating Burke and Diboll schools which Burke had opposed in a 1956 election. Attempts to consolidate Burke with Lufkin met opposition by both districts in 1959 and 1960. Before this, Fairview Commerce voters reluctantly agreed in 1963 to consolidate with Diboll, after opposing consolidation with Lufkin in June 1961.

Beulah schools consolidated with Diboll in July 1962 — eight years after 57 voters approved a bond election to build a new school house in Beulah, which was opposed by seven.

In March 1959 county residents quickly squelched a proposal to abolish Zavalla ISD with 239 votes against the suggestion and only 30 in support. Instead, Concord schools were consolidated with Zavalla.

A similar proposal to abolish Central ISD in January 1957 met opposition from 413 voters vs. 142 who favored the district's end.

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By the 1870s, alcohol was an increasing election attraction in Angelina County, and in 1902 prohibition passed with a majority vote. It passed again in 1903 with majority votes in six justice of the peace precincts. Prohibition persisted in the local polls nearly every year afterward as voters continued to prohibit the sale of "intoxicating liquors" through 1913. The local liquor option continued to make the rounds every few years, reinforcing prohibition. In 1933 the liquor elections took a new spin, with the sale of beer containing less than 3.2 ounces of alcohol. Although this option failed, it was reposted every year through 1940, and once more in 1946.

More recently, Zavalla held local liquor elections in February 1972, April 1973, June 1985 and April 1992 — all of which failed; and 10 boxes in Lufkin held an unsuccessful election in December 1981.

Attempts to turn Angelina County wet were renewed in 2005 by an Angelina College student whose petition to call an election fell short of the required signatures. However, a second petition drive in 2006 got the issue posted on the November 2006 ballot, and voters decided it was time to end the river runs.

After this, the most popular election topic in the early 1900s and late 1800s involved the stock laws which began in school district elections, restricting free roaming cattle and hogs. Just about every conceivable election entity voted on the stock laws, which nearly always passed, through the 1950s.

Between then and now, Angelina County voters have taken to the polls on local issues ranging from tick eradication to pool hall prohibition.

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Primary elections took on new meaning in the late 20th century, with residents casting Republican votes in the national elections.

"We were all Democrats in those days," said longtime attorney and former county Judge Edward T. McFarland. On the wall near his desk is a sign quoting Sam Rayburn that says it all "'I am a Democrat without prefix, without suffix and without apology.'"

Even Republican Party Chairman Robert L. Flournoy ran against the late federal Judge John Hannah Jr. to represent the fifth district in the Democratic primary of 1966 — Hannah won with 4,039 votes vs. Flournoy's 3,921.

Former county Court-at-Law Judge Joe Martin appears to have been one of the first candidates to switch parties while in office and run for local office on the Republican ticket — which may have cost him the bench in November 1998.

There have since been two Republican county commissioners elected, and both county court-at-law seats are now held by Republicans.