Early voting site added east of I-35

Early voting for the Nov. 6 election will be a little easier for residents of Kyle and Buda and Hays County residents east of the interstate close to Kyle. 

At its meeting Tuesday morning, the Hays County Commissioners Court approved early voting and election day polling places throughout the county. The list of locations includes the Hays County Government Center Conference room, the Wimberley Community Center, the Precinct 2 and Precinct 4 Hays County offices, Kyle City Hall, Buda City Hall and Eikon Church, located on Old Post Road near Farm to Market Road 150 on the east side of Interstate 35. 

As for the early voting schedule, County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson said, “We had a lot of input this year, and we made some good changes that I think will be beneficial.”

Among those changes are the availability of early voting at the city halls in Kyle and Buda for the duration of the early voting period. Also, Eikon Church was added as a polling place to make it easier for people living east of the interstate to cast their ballots early. Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones asked Anderson if it might be possible to have early voting at Eikon on a Saturday — currently, it is slated to be open for early voting only from Monday, Oct. 22, through Wednesday, Oct. 24 — and Anderson said she would ask about it.

Eikon is one of three “temporary sites” for early voting in the county. The other two are the LBJ Student Center at Texas State University and the Live Oak/County health clinic on Broadway St.

“Those say temporary sites — they used to say mobile sites,” Anderson said. “... They’re just not the same dates and times as the whole early voting schedule.”

Donna Haschke, chair of the Hays County Democratic Party, spoke to the commissioners court in support of the list of polling places.

“We realize that polling places must meet strict criteria to be approved,” she said, “and the possibilities east of 35 are less than plentiful.”

While the county’s political parties continue looking for possibilities east of the interstate, she said, the extended voting times at the Buda and Kyle city halls will help make early voting more accessible.

“I’m very, very excited about the expansion of the days and times for Buda City Hall and Kyle City Hall,” she said. 

Early voting for the Nov. 6 general election will run from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2. A final list of early voting polling locations with times and dates, along with Election Day polling locations for each precinct in the county, will be posted on the county website. 

In other business Tuesday, the commissioners voted to continue sponsoring the Hill Country Rainwater Revival Festival. The event, which focuses on sustainable living practices, has changed its name to the Hill Country Living + Rainwater Revival Festival. Precinct 4 Commissioner Whisenant moved that the county use $1,000, plus $175 for a vendor booth fee, from his community services budget for the festival.