Washington County names Nicholas Don Pritzler county clerk effective March 28

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Texas — Washington County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to appoint Nicholas Don Pritzler as county clerk, with the appointment set to take effect March 28, 2025, at 5:01 p.m.

A motion to appoint "Nicholas Don Pritzler, county clerk of Washington County, to be effective 03/28/2025 at 05:01PM" was made and seconded and the court voted "aye." The transcript does not record a roll-call by name.

Pritzler addressed the court briefly after the vote and thanked the judge, commissioners and the county clerk's office. "I just want to say thank you to the court, and, of course, to Miss Beth," he said, referring to the outgoing clerk. He said he looked forward to learning more and working with courthouse staff.

Speakers at the meeting praised the outgoing clerk, identified in the record only as Beth, for preserving historical county records. One commissioner recalled being shown an 1830s–1840s notarial book and described the importance of maintaining handwritten historical records; county staff later said the item is being preserved off-site.

County staff and commissioners discussed transitional tasks the clerk's office must complete, including ordering certification stamps and updating marriage-license paperwork and other records that carry the clerk's name.

A commissioner asked whether the appointment was interim; the judge and other speakers clarified it is not listed as interim in the motion. The appointee and county staff said some preparatory steps would be taken before his effective date to ensure continuity.

The court then congratulated Pritzler and invited him and family members forward for recognition.

Why it matters: The county clerk maintains vital public records, marriage licenses and historical documents. Commissioners emphasized record preservation and a planned transition ahead of the effective date.