Hays early voting shatters records
The early voting period for the Nov. 6 midterm election has ended, and according to state and county figures, more Hays County voters cast their ballots early this year than in the 2016 presidential election.
The Hays County Elections Office reported a total of 56,569 early voting ballots cast, including 145 ballots by mail. The Texas Secretary of State’s office reports that in the 2016 general election, unofficial early voting totals for Hays County were 55,237. Some officials, including Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson, have been expecting turnout for this midterm election ro resemble presidential election voter turnout. If as many as 16,000 Hays County voters cast their ballots on Election Day, total turnout will surpass that of the 2016 presidential election, in which just over 72,000 Hays County residents voted.
The need for continued early voting on the Texas State campus was evident Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, the early voting site at the LBJ Student Center reported 975 votes cast — more than at any other voting site in the county that day — and on Friday another 979 ballots were cast on campus.
All in all, 5,559 ballots were cast in Hays County on Thursday and 7,494 were cast on Friday, the last day of early voting before Tuesday’s election. Friday’s turnout was the highest during the early voting period.
According to the Texas Tribune, more than 4.3 million Texans have early voted for the Nov. 6 midterm election. In the 30 counties where 78 percent of Texas’ voters live, early voting turnout surpassed the entire turnout of the 2014 midterm. Hays County is one of those 30 counties, as are neighboring Travis and Comal counties.
Election Day voting locations and other election information can be found at the county's website and at the city's website.
For residents of election precinct 334, whose polling place has been moved from Crockett Elementary to the LBJ Student Center, free parking will be provided at the Matthews Street garage on campus from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Signage will be placed along Student Center Drive to direct voters to the garage. Spots will be available on the upper levels. Voters are asked to keep their voting receipt to show to the parking attendant at the garage if necessary.
