
By Allan Jamail
Monday, June 01, 2020 — Christopher G. Hollins, a 33 year old Houston attorney married to wife Morgan with daughter Vivian, won the approval of Commissioners Court to fill the vacated position of Dr. Diane Trautman. He has pledged to hold the job only in an interim role, avoiding the potential distraction of running a campaign this fall.
On May 19th Commissioners Court voted 3-2 along party lines to appoint Hollins, vice chairman of finance for the state democratic party. He will serve until a new clerk can be elected in November.
Commissioners Court members said they were impressed with Hollins’ credentials, as well as his commitment not to seek the job permanently. “I think his background with McKinsey a global consultancy company will be helpful in getting procedures in place to get through this election process,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia supported Hollins’s appointment, stating, “I’m thrilled that Chris Hollins decided to accept this appointment to become the County Clerk for the remainder of the year. He is incredibly qualified, and I am confident he will do an excellent job.”
Hollins issued the following statement:
“It is a great honor to serve the residents of Harris County as County Clerk. My deep connection to Harris County and professional background in management consulting, government, and law has prepared me to step into this role and be effective from day one. I look forward to serving this community to the best of my ability, and to continue to assist residents and small businesses at the high standard that Harris County deserves.
“We are living in a challenging time. This November, our office will administer the most consequential election of our lifetime amid a global health pandemic. The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that Harris County residents can exercise that right safely, conveniently, and with the peace of mind that their vote will be counted.”
“Our efforts start with the July runoff contest. I encourage Harris County residents to register to vote by the June 15th deadline. I also encourage you to make a plan to vote by mail (if eligible), during the early voting period, June 29 – July 10, or on Election Day, July 14th.”