Early Voting Sees Good Turnout
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – After months of political advertisements, campaign stops, starts and the incessant bickering, the 2020 election cycle has entered the home stretch. The final day to register to vote was Oct. 5 and early voting began on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The early voting period will run through Oct. 30.
According to the Houston County Elections Administrator’s Office, through Thursday, Oct. 15 – after three days of early voting – 1,671 total ballots had been cast. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, 597 ballots were cast while 567 ballots were cast on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 507 ballots were cast on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The entity specific election, early voter tabulations showed the Houston County Hospital District election had 966 ballots cast through Thursday, Oct. 15. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, 350 ballots were cast while 333 ballots were cast on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 283 ballots were cast on Thursday, Oct. 15.
In the race for the Crockett ISD Board of Trustees District Two, 160 total ballots had been cast through Thursday, Oct. 15. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, 56 ballots were cast while 57 ballots were cast on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 47 ballots were cast on Thursday, Oct. 15.
In the Latexo ISD bond election, a total of 293 ballots had been cast in early voting through Thursday, Oct. 15. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, 104 ballots were cast while 97 ballots were cast on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 92 ballots were cast on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Because of COVID-19 protocols, early voting has been moved to the Houston County Senior Citizens Center, located at 716 W. Wells St. in Crockett. This location will be open for the duration of the early voting period and the hours of operation will be from 8 am until 4:30 pm.
There will also be two branch locations for early voting which will ONLY be open on Thursday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Oct. 30.
One location will be in Grapeland at the First United Methodist Church, located at 3913 US Hwy. 287 North. The other early voting location will be in Lovelady at the Lovelady Community Center, located at 124 E. Cox St.
The hours of operation at the branch locations will also be from 8 am until 4:30 pm.
Houston County Elections Administrator Cynthia Lum reported if a voter would like to receive an application for absentee voting or a ballot by mail (ABBM), the application can be found online on the Houston County website at www.co.houston.tx.us/page/houston.Elections.
The application should be mailed to: Cynthia Lum, Elections Administrator 401 East Goliad Avenue Crockett, TX 75835. The ABBM can also be emailed to clum @co.houston.tx.us or it can be faxed to 936-544-0189.
The elections administrator stressed, “Applications for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) and Federal Postcard Applications (FPCA), must be received no later than the close of business on Oct. 23. If ABBM is faxed or emailed or if an FPCA is faxed, the original application must be received within four business days.”
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
