Early voting for the Nov. 7 general election began Monday, and 760 voters cast their ballots to decide a handful of local races and the fate of Texas’ 14 proposed constitutional amendments.
In addition to the statewide ballot measures, several cities and school districts in the county are holding races for new mayors, council members, school board members or bonds. The turnout total on day one amounts to 0.49% of the 152,689 registered voters in the county. Of the 760 voters as of Monday, 539 cast votes in-person and 211 returned mail-in ballots.
In 2021, the last odd-year election with a comparable slate of races, only 12,134 McLennan County voters out of the 148,640 eligible cast a ballot, a turnout rate of only 8%, in an election that saw 8 constitutional amendments adopted by voters. Typically, voter turnout is low in odd-numbered election years, as usually only local election items and amendments are on the ballot.
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Compared to 2021, this year’s election saw a large increase in the number of day-one voters, including a sharp increase for in-person voting, McLennan County Elections Administrator Jared Goldsmith said. 2021 saw 367 total early voters on day one, with 171 voting in-person and 196 returning a mail-in ballot.
Early voting in-person will continue until Nov. 3. In addition to the constitutional amendments, here is what is on the ballot in McLennan County:
Proposition A, which would ratify the property tax rate of 94 cents per $100 valuation. The new rate would result in a 3.96% decrease in maintenance and operations tax revenue compared to last year.
Jimmy Rogers (incumbent, unopposed)
Jim Mastergeorge (incumbent)
Brittany McLean (incumbent, unopposed)
Board of trustees Place 5:
Alicia Williams (incumbent, unopposed)
Board of trustees Place 6:
Board of trustees Place 7:
Keith Helpert (incumbent, current board president)
Three propositions totaling $50 million in bonds to pay for upgrades to Mart High School’s football stadium, athletics facilities and other improvements to the elementary, middle and high schools.
David Pratka (current mayor pro tem)
Joe Pustejovsky (current council member)
City council At-Large, vote for up to two:
Cody L. Harris (incumbent)
Crystal Middleton-Anthony
Board of trustees Place 1:
Larry D. Sparks (incumbent, unopposed)
Board of trustees Place 2:
Leigh H. Crawshaw (incumbent)
City council At-Large, vote for up to three:
Jeanne Lehrmann (incumbent)
Kooper Sjolander (incumbent)
Board of trustees, vote for up to two:
Waylan Neill Goodwin (incumbent)
Vote for or against issuing $12 million in bonds to pay for construction, renovation acquisition and equipment of school facilities in the district.
Linda Owens (incumbent, unopposed)
City council At-Large, vote for up to two:
Richard Prater (incumbent)
Vote for or against adopting a local sales and use tax of one quarter per one cent in Bruceville-Eddy to fund any economic development projects related to the general promotion and development of new or expanded business enterprises.
Vote for or against adopting a local sales and use tax of one quarter per one cent (1/4 cent) in Bruceville-Eddy to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.
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