Early voting numbers ‘anemic’ in Burnet County
STAFF WRITER CONNIE SWINNEY
BURNET — Election officials have reported meager voter turnout during the two-week early voting period for seven proposed state constitutional amendments as well as a couple of local options on the ballot.
Of the approximately 29,000 registered voters in Burnet County, only 341 voted as of Thursday, Nov. 2, prior to the final early voting day of Nov. 3.
“The figures have been anemic. There’s not very many people voting,” said Burnet County Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson. “This is typical for a (Texas) constitutional amendment election.
“Obviously, I’d like to see more voters,” he added.
Local issues failed to kindle much interest.
“We have a municipal election in Horseshoe Bay and a bond election in Granite Shoals,” Ferguson said.
The Horseshoe Bay City Council race has three candidates vying for two spots: Challenger Dennis Hoover will try to edge out one of the incumbents, Cynthia Clinesmith and Reagan Lambert, who filed to try to reclaim their seats.
In Granite Shoals, voters will decide whether to reaffirm a $3 million road bond issue, which would fund upgrades to portions of Valley View Drive, Phillips Ranch Road, and Prairie Creek Road.
An election two years ago with proposed state constitutional amendments reported a 16 percent early voter turnout; however, a controversial Burnet County-wide liquor option election might have fueled interest at that time.
“Next year will be a lot busier,” Ferguson said. “We’ll have races like county judge, gubernatorial.”
Officials remind voters to prepare to show photo identification at the polls.
“Nothing has changed,” he said. “You still have to have a photo ID to vote.”
For those without the eight approved forms of photo ID, Election Identification Certificates (EIC) can be obtained at Texas Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Offices.
The DPS is offering Saturday hours on Nov. 4 at select driver’s license offices to issue EICs.
2 thoughts on “Early voting numbers ‘anemic’ in Burnet County”
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The reason people don’t vote is because it is like choosing a slave master. Hopefully people are waking up to the fact that people who seek to to rule other people are psychopaths or corrupt or both. Don’t vote. If you do vote, you are voting for the corrupt or the soon to be corrupt.
“Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.” – George Jean Nathan