Bee County voters stood in line 45 minutes on Monday, the first day of early voting, to cast their ballots. More than 340 people voted Monday and another 320 had cast their ballot by the end of the day Tuesday.
That’s a lot of elections for someone 91 years old.
This election is no different.On Monday, Council waited in line 45 minutes to vote early.
“I didn’t know if I’d be around on Election Day so I thought I had better vote as soon as possible,” he said with a chuckle. “I wanted to make sure my vote counted.”
He was joined by 348 other people who live in Bee County and who took advantage of early voting on Monday to cast their ballots in national, state and local races.
“We had a very, very good turnout,” said Bee County Clerk Mirella Escamilla Davis. “I arrived at 7 a.m. on Monday to get everything ready and by 8 a.m. we had people waiting outside to vote.”
A total of 660 Bee County residents voted by the end of the day Tuesday.
Early voting ends Oct. 31.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Davis said some people complained about the long wait to vote.
She said she had six people working in the voting room — three members of her staff and three part-time employees. Davis said she had another two members of her staff processing mail-in ballot applications.
“That left me with only two employees working on other county business,” she noted.
Davis, herself, pitched in and processed curbside voting.
“I took the paper ballots out to the people who were disabled and couldn’t come inside to vote,” she explained.
Other voters applauded Davis’ efforts, she recalled.
“We have had some people thank us and tell us we were doing a great job,” she said.
Loren Council said he thought early voting went well on Monday.
“I didn’t mind the wait in line at all,” said Council, who moved to Beeville in 1949, voted in the heated presidential race between Harry Truman and Thomas E. Dewey and the 1960 race between Richard M. Nixon and John Kennedy. “I spent the entire 45 minutes talking to other voters.”
Early voting will be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the commissioners courtroom on the first floor of the Bee County Courthouse.
Early voting also will be held on Saturday between 8 a.m and 5 p.m.
Bee County voters will be able to cast ballots this election year for a new president, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state senator, as well as elect a commissioner for Precinct 3 and tax assessor-collector.
Democrat Eloy Rodriguez is seeking re-election as Precinct 3 commissioner. He is battling Republican Andrea Gibbud for the post.
Democrat Vincente Barrera is battling Republican Linda Bridge in the race for tax assessor-collector.
A total of 85 residents who live within the Beeville Independent School District cast early votes on Monday and Tuesday in favor of or opposed to BISD’s proposal to increase the tax rate by an additional 6 cents this school year to provide faculty and staff with a pay raise.
In the past, school districts could simply raise their tax rates up to the rollback rate without voter approval. However, last year state lawmakers passed a bill that forces school districts to hold elections each time they want to increase the tax rate.
Only seven voters in Pettus ISD voted early Monday and Tuesday. Pettus ISD voters will be able to cast ballots on the school district’s proposal to raise the property tax rate by 8 cents per $100 value to $1.12 per $100 value.
Pettus ISD voters also will have an opportunity on Nov. 4 to fill three seats on the school board. Six candidates have filed for the three positions. The top three vote-getters will win four-year terms on the board.
Three board members whose seats are up for election are Robbie Tomlin, Robert Bridge and Jaime Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is running for re-election. He will face Seana Broadway and four write-in candidates: Pauline L. Rabe, Jimmy Gauna, Jerry Perez and Sid Arismendez.
Pettus ISD voters will be able to cast three ballots each under the school district’s cumulative voting procedure.
Early voting totals for Skidmore-Tynan ISD were unavailable Wednesday morning.
Besides voting for a new president and tax assessor-collector, Skidmore-Tynan voters will also cast ballots to fill three board seats. Five candidates are vying for the three seats.
Seeking office are incumbents Ken Haggard and board President Rick Olivares. Trustee Ysrael “Rudy” Salinas had filed for re-election but has since dropped out of the race. Other candidates seeking election are Karlos Alvarado, James Bennett and Mattie Hicks.
Early voting for the three school districts will be held at their prospective administrative buildings from Oct. 20 through Oct. 31.
Voters may cast early ballots for or against the city of Beeville’s sales tax proposition at City Hall during the same days.
A total of 39 Beeville residents have taken advantage of early voting to cast ballots on Monday and Tuesday.
Besides electing a new president and numerous other state and national office holders, Beeville residents also will have an opportunity on Nov. 4 to vote for or against the City Council’s proposal to spend one-eighth of 1 percent — approximately $200,000 out of $800,000 — the city receives annually in 4b sales tax revenue on maintaining and improving streets. Presently the Beeville Economic Improvement Corp. spends the entire $800,000 on economic improvement projects but city leaders want to use a small portion of it to improve roadways in hopes the improved infrastructure will help business and economic development.
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