September 13, 2018 500 AM
FAR WEST TEXAS – Early voting in the special state senate race will end this Thursday, September 14th . Voters who haven’t casted their ballot will be able to at their respective precincts on election day, Tuesday September 18th.
The seat for District 19, which stretches from parts of San Antonio to far West Texas, was vacant after its previous occupant, Sen. Carlos Uresti resigned after being convicted of 11 felonies and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
This caused Gov. Greg Abbott to call for an emergency election on July 31st , the competitive race included eight candidates, and resulted in a run-off when Republican Peter Flores and Democrat Pete Gallego, received 34 and 29 percent of the vote respectively.
Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn have all endorsed the retired game warden, Pete Flores in this race. Flores, who sees himself as an outsider in this race is hopeful with the numbers they are seeing on the first day of ear ly voting, primarily in republican leaning areas.
Gallego, a one-term congressman recently gained the endorsement of mySanAntonio’s editorial board, despite their criticism of his residency.
Gallego views the residency debacle as a desperate attempt by the Republicans to stop his campaign, and stands by his repeated claims that he has maintained his residency in Alpine. Gallego, just like Flores is hopeful after seeing the number of votes casted on the first day of early voting. “I just wish the rain in San Antonio would stop,” Gallego said jokingly.
On Thursday, September 13, precinct 5, 6, and 7 may cast their votes at the J.W. “Red” Patillo Community Center on Highway 118 in Study Butte from 10am – 4pm. Precincts, 1, 2, 4, and 8 may cast their votes at Judge Val Clark Beard Office Complex, 203 North 7th Street, on Thursday September 13 and Friday, September 14th . The polling site will be opened from 8am – 5pm.
On election day, Tuesday, September 18, polls will be open from 7am-7pm and voters must cast their ballots within the precincts in which they are registered. Precincts 1, 2, 4, and 8 will vote at the Val Clark Beard Complex. Precinct 3 voters will cast ballots at the Marathon Community Center, and Precincts 5, 6, and 7 will vote at the J.W. “Red” Patillo Community Center.
At the polls, voters must show a valid photo ID. To see acceptable forms of voter ID, visit votetexas.gov . Sample ballots may be viewed at brewstercountytx.com. Ballots are identical for all precincts.
