County to request 'Successful Status' from state

The Hays County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to support a resolution for “Successful Status” of its use of countywide voting precincts during the November elections. 

Following its use of countywide voting precincts, Hays County can apply for “Successful Status,” which would allow the county to continue to use the program for subsequent elections.

According to the agenda item, “after a pilot election with the use of vote centers under an application with the Office of Secretary of State, a county may apply for 'Successful Status' of the program to continue using vote centers in subsequent elections with the passage of a resolution requesting such status from the state.”

During a public hearing on the item, Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson discussed voter turnout and how the use of countywide voting precincts impacted this year’s turnout. 

According to Anderson, 7,963 registered voters in Hays County voted early, which doesn’t include 679 mail-in ballots. During election day, 10,245 registered voters cast their ballots in person.

“(This) is a reversal of what we normally see,” Anderson said. “Early voting usually is the high-end number, so we believe this has to do with the vote centers and people being able to conveniently stop in.”

The county saw a total of 18,909 registered voters — 13.35% — during November’s election. 

Anderson also presented voter turnout totals from 2011-2019 and added that this year’s turnout was higher than in previous constitutional amendment elections. 

“I think that’s a good indication that voters were happy with being able to choose where they wanted to go vote and having those voting locations conveniently located,” Anderson said. 

Following the public hearing, the commissioners voted to adopt the resolution that states, “the Hays County Commissioners Court supports the application to receive a 'Successful Status' designation by the Texas Secretary of State allowing it to continue to participate in the  Countywide Polling Place program.”