Early voting starts Monday in McLennan County, statewide

Before heading to the polls, voters should confirm they are registered by going to votetexas.gov and clicking the “Am I Registered?” link. The registration deadline for this election passed on Oct. 11.

Registered voters who moved recently also can update their address at votetexas.gov, which may be needed if a registration status is listed as “suspense.” A registered voter with an out-of-date address may be limited to a provisional ballot that leaves out local races.

McLennan County voters can choose form five vote centers for in-person early voting:

• Robinson Community Center, 106 West Lyndale Ave.
• Waco Multi-Purpose Community Center, 1020 Elm Ave.
• First Assembly of God, 6701 Bosque Blvd. in Waco
• Hewitt City Hall and Library, 200 Patriot Court
• Records Building basement, 214 N. Fourth St., Suite 300 in Waco.

Vote center hours vary by day of early voting:

• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Oct. 28
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29
• 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31 through Friday, Nov. 4.

Both major political parties are offering free rides to the polls.

The Republican Party of McLennan County will offer rides primarily on Election Day, but also during early voting, party Chair Brad Holland said. For details or to schedule in advance, call the regular office number, 254-772-6955, or email info@mclennanrepublicans.org.

The McLennan County Democratic Party will offer rides during early voting and on Election Day, party Chair Mark Hays said. To schedule in advance, call 254-749-7332.

Hays said the rides will be COVID-19-safe, and everyone including the driver must wear a mask. The driver will also crack a window and take only a limited number of people, Hays said.

“We will also offer rides for curbside voting. All our drivers are trained for this,” Hays said. “We won’t ask which party you’re voting for.”

The Waco NAACP chapter also will take part in Souls to the Polls on Sunday.

“This is the only Sunday of early voting for this election,” chapter President Peaches Henry said. “In 2020, there were two Sundays of early voting, because of COVID, but that’s not how it usually is. This year is back to usual.”

Souls to the Polls is a nationwide effort among Black churches in which congregations caravan straight from services to vote together and avoid harassment and intimidation, Henry said.

Waco’s Souls to the Polls effort will include a setup at Quinn Middle School, adjacent to the vote center at the Waco Multi-Purpose Community Center, 1020 Elm Ave.

“We will have a live DJ, four local food trucks, and the first 200 voters will get a free lunch at one of the food trucks,” Henry said.

All the political parties encourage people to bring their friends to the polls.

Henry also recommends voters view a sample ballot at the county elections website, available at www.co.mclennan.tx.us/337/Elections, before heading to the polls. It can be helpful to write choices down for each race and ballot initiative on a piece of paper, Henry said.

“You won’t be allowed to have a cellphone turned on in the vote center,” she said. “You will be allowed to refer to paper notes.”

She also said poll workers can read the ballot, but cannot make recommendations on how to vote.

Bringing a book or magazine to read while standing in line is also a good idea.

Texas law requires voters to present one of seven forms of photo ID to cast a ballot. For voters ages 18 to 69, IDs expired for less than four years are acceptable. For those 70 and over, any expired ID is acceptable, as long as the information on it is still correct.

The approved IDs are: Texas driver license, Texas election ID certificate, Texas personal ID card, Texas handgun license, U.S. citizenship certificate with photo, U.S. Military ID, U.S. passport.

For those who do not have and cannot reasonably get one of the seven approved forms of ID, the law says they can fill out a form and present an alternative document such as a voter registration certificate, a birth certificate, a current utility bill or bank statement, a government-issued check or a paycheck.

For voters who want to use a mail-in ballot, eligibility requirements apply, and the application to vote by mail must be received at the county elections office by Friday.

Hays said he recommends mailing it several days before, to allow time for delivery.

To be eligible for a mail-in ballot, one of the following must apply:

• Voter is 65 years of age or older on Election Day
• Voter is disabled or has a sickness that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on Election Day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or injuring the voter’s health
• Voter is expecting to give birth within 3 weeks before or after Election Day
• Voter will be absent from McLennan County during early voting and Election Day. Voter must provide an out-of-county mailing address for the ballot
• Voter is eligible but confined in jail or through an involuntary civil commitment.

The monthly NAACP meeting on Monday will explain voting by mail and other voting procedures, Henry said. The process requires voters to follow requirements carefully.

“Be sure to write both your driver license number and the last four of your Social Security number in the correct place on the outside of the envelope for the ballot-by-mail application,” Henry said. “When you seal the flap on the envelope, it will cover those numbers so no one can steal your identity.”

Henry also said voters should remember that anyone already in line to vote before a vote center closes can stay afterward and vote.

On the ballot

Some significant items on the ballot this election include congressional representatives, governor and several other statewide offices, state legislators, McLennan County district attorney, Precinct 2 county commissioner, Precinct 5 justice of the peace as well as some school district items.

Texas House District 13 was recreated in the last legislative session to include East Waco, eastern McLennan County and four surrounding counties. It has no incumbent. Democratic nominee Cedric Davis faces Republican nominee Agelia Orr.

In the race for western and southern McLennan County’s Texas House District 56, Republican incumbent Charles “Doc” Anderson, who has held the seat since 2004, faces Democratic challenger Erin Shank.

In the race for McLennan County district attorney, local defense attorney Josh Tetens won the Republican primary to run against Democratic Party nominee Aubrey Robertson, who has prior experience as both a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.

Patricia Miller is the incumbent Precinct 2 McLennan County commissioner and the Democratic Party nominee to face Republican Party challenger Donis “D.L.” Wilson.

Judge Fernando Villarreal will soon retire as justice of the peace for Precinct 5, and in the race to succeed him, Republican Party nominee and business owner Jessica R. Dominguez faces Democratic Party nominee and Beverly Hills Mayor Lucyann Sanchez-Miramontez.

China Spring ISD and West ISD will hold elections on their tax rates. Crawford ISD will hold an election for a $10 million bond package.