PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Odessa Headlines has contacted the other candidates running for JP 1 and will publish their interviews as they become available.
When announcing her run for Justice of the Peace in Ector County’s Precinct 1, Jennifer Mahan-Woodall stated her primary goals in running for this office: “I want to have excellent transparency and a super-efficient court. I want to work full time.”
In a recent interview with Odessa Headlines Woodall stated that she is a devout conservative Christian and a proud grandmother and mother to a blended family. She prides herself on always prioritizing her family and faith and believes that God played a significant role in her determination to enter politics on behalf of her Odessa community. “There are just some things that God wires us to do,” she said. Though Woodall has an extensive background in qualifying experience for JP, she says her first calling to the position was at a community event a few years ago where she came across a giant judge’s gavel and said she “had to have it.”
Woodall went on to further explain that she was waiting for the right time to run for JP. When longtime judge Terry Lange retired mid term and the Ector County Commissioners’ Court appointed a new JP, Woodall said she felt there were “open questions” regarding the integrity of the appointment. Woodall often refers to unquestionable integrity in her campaign messages and this characteristic, which the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct says must be promoted by all Justices, is one of the reasons why she stepped up to run for Justice of the Peace in the upcoming Ector County election. “Unquestionable integrity is not being able to be bought, coerced, or persuaded. You have to follow the law, be honest, and have a good moral code yourself. Our founding fathers said our government was created for a moral people and without it, it won’t work.” states Woodall.
Woodall is actively involved in the Odessa community where her husband serves on the local school board. The Woodall family regularly attends church meetings together and she also stays connected with her community through her church involvement. “I am a pastor at my church. I am also a project manager, secretary, and elder. I serve many ministries and was a past president for the Odessa Aglow Lighthouse which is a chapter of Aglow International which currently ministers in 172 countries. Aglow ministers to couples and works in Israel and Islamic nations as well as the United States.” she said.
Politically, Woodall openly refers to herself as a Constitutionalist and states that good conservative morals and upholding the law reflect this title. She served as Secretary for the Ector County Republican party and as a Precinct Chair before resigning to run for JP. She also has over two years of classes completed at the Nehemiah School of Government in Midland. Though she feels she has more than adequate education and experience in government for the job of JP, Woodall said she is always motivated to learn more.
She said, “The more you learn, the more you know and the better you can save the Republic and better your community. The things that happen here and the laws here affect us on a day to day basis.” Recently, she received an endorsement from the Ector County Republican Party and commented that she was proud to accept it because their values align with both her own and the Republican Party of Texas.
Woodall has over 25 years of experience in administrative office duties, a quality that she says is missing in the current JP office. While all judges are required to complete mandatory training, they do not all get training on overseeing a busy office. Woodall stated that the number one complaint she hears from constituents is about the amount of time their cases take to be dealt with by the courts. Court efficiency and quicker action are standards she is confident she can bring to Precinct 1.
“You have backlogs, and nothing is being expedited. You need to be able to oversee and manage this. The faster you can expedite, the more revenue you will bring in. Efficiency is a good thing and I know I can bring that,” she said after referring to a conversation she had with a district judge who claimed some cases had sat on the Court’s docket for as many as 12 years. She also believes that bringing efficiency could make Precinct 1 the top Precinct in the county in terms of efficiency and productivity..
Aside from integrity and administrative experience, Woodall also expressed the importance of being present for the position and working a full time schedule in the Court. Working full time during the week, she said, will help clear the backlog and avoid future backlogs. According to Woodall, conversations with some of the former court clerks revealed that many JP’s are often not at the office and are not there on a daily basis.
Woodall believes Precinct 1 needs a JP who is willing to be available fulltime in order to efficiently execute justice for the citizens of Odessa. She said, “I want to be involved. I love my city and country and am tired of hearing people call our city ‘slowdeatha’. I want to be part of the good and the turn around so we can truly become an oasis in the desert. So that we can be a blessing for our country.”
Woodall is passionate about being available for her constituents and vows to balance mercy and justice. She believes it’s important to talk to people and understand their story. While some people’s punishment may come in the form of jail, she also says that each person before the court and their circumstances needs to be evaluated. “A good coach can turn the life of a player around and I think a good encounter with a judge can be very impactful for some people,” she said.
As the primary election approaches, Woodall encourages her constituents to show up to the ballot box. In her opinion, Washington is “gone” and it’s up to the local government to fight to save our Republic. “Grassroots is the most important thing you can do. It’s the most important election we can vote in. It bothers me when people [candidates] ask for votes but they don’t have a good voting record. If you care about your community, you would be voting. I never miss an opportunity to vote.” She finds that the lack of voting history from one of her opponents is concerning and is another reason she is pursuing JP.
Following the importance of voting, Woodall says candidates need to be vetted by voters. Transparency is a quality she is confident she possesses, and she encourages her constituents to vet her and the other JP candidates. She warned that anyone can tell you who they are but voters need to look even deeper into who candidates associate with, their voting records, and where they stand on local issues. “Call them, talk to them, check out their lives. The Bible says you will know them by their fruits. The Bible also says evil communications will corrupt your morals. This is why I say check their associations,” she said.
Jennifer Mahan-Woodall will be running in the upcoming local election against opponents Steven Brennan and the incumbent Carlos Chaves. You can follow or support her campaign at https://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-Mahan-Woodall-For-Ector-County-JP-1/61553620776210/.