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Posts tagged as “voting”

Run-off election holds surprise results

July 16, 2020

Eagleton in a landslide; Garcia wins tight race

HARRIS COUNTY – Tuesday, the Democratic and Republican Parties held their Run-Off Primary elections and the results in several races were different than had been predicted.

Jacinto City and vicinity had a showdown between Precinct 2 Constable incumbent Chris Diaz against challenger Lt. Jerry Garcia. This was a close race, with Garcia winning by only 229 votes of 9,505 cast. This race had been marked with negative charges of unethical practices and favoritism on both sides.

Substantially more people voted in the Democratic Party in early voting at several Precinct 3 locations. Early voting counts in Crosby were 744 Democratic and 434 Republican most probably due to the hotly contentious local Precinct 3 Constable race between incumbent Sherman Eagleton, and previous constable Ken Jones, and the fact that there were more contests at issue for the Democrats. Over 150,000 votes were cast county wide on the Democratic ticket. The Republicans drew about 60,000 on their ballot.

Voters are no longer designated to specific voting precincts but habitually tend to vote at locations near where they live and with which they are familiar.

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Controversy surrounds May 2 BHISD and Mont Belvieu elections

April 16, 2020

The city of Mont Belvieu is planning an election on May 2nd for Mayor and 2 councilmen, and the Barbers Hills ISD school district is planning an election that same day for their $277.5 million Bond Referendum and two school board seats. Voting is in person, and by mail-in ballots, which are being encouraged.

Because of the “lockdown” ordered by County officials, and an executive order from Governor Abbott telling governments and districts that they should move their May 2nd elections to November to avoid health problems and voter intimidation in May, several politicians have criticized or questioned the wisdom of the two entities in Mont Belvieu continuing their scheduled elections on May 2.

State Representatives Mayes Middleton, and Briscoe Cain, have said the elections should be moved, while City Manager Nathan Watkins and School Superintendent Greg Poole have defended the date as legal and needed early.

Voters may apply for a mail-in ballot until April 20 at www.montbelvieu.net/election. Early voting starts April 20 to April 28, at the BHISD conference center at 9600 Eagle Drive.

Governor Abbott postpones Runoff Primary Election until Tuesday July 14th.

March 26, 2020

AUSTIN, TX — March 20, 2020 – Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation postponing the runoff primary election until July 14, 2020 — the same date as the special election for Texas State Senate District 14. The runoff election was originally scheduled for May 26th, but has been postponed in conjunction with the state’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

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Commissioner challenged by Constable

March 12, 2020
Sherman Eagleton Constable of Precinct 3 confronts Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia indicting that the commissioner was undermining his department with varied actions and a call to reduce the contract deputy program for Constable’s Departments throughout Harris County. Adrian Garcia denied this and withdrew his proposal to review the contract deputy program.

Eagleton claims Garcia is biased

HOUSTON – Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia weathered a storm of controversy after posting two proposals concerning looking into Constable’s offices practices. Precinct 3 Constable Sherman Eagleton confronted the Commissioner at the regular county meeting.

The Commissioner wanted a look into contract deputies programs and how constable deputies were dispatched. The proposal did not include the same for the Sheriff’s office, which Garcia had held from 2009 until 2015.

The Contract Deputy Program is one in which deputies from either Sheriff’s or Constables’ offices are retained to provide extra patrol to an area that pays directly for that service. The deputy is still in service to the county and can go elsewhere nearby should the need arise but the contractee has extra law enforcement patrol on hand to deter crime and fulfill the services for which they are contracted.

It had been rumored for some time that Commissioner Garcia had suggested that his employee, Ken Jones, run for the position he vacated by retirement again. Now, Eagleton who had about 48% of the vote to Jones 16%, is in a run off. Eagleton had held 53% for most of the night and would have avoided the run-off.

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Election tight in late hours

March 5, 2020

HOUSTON – The red eye unofficial results in the wee-hours of Tuesday morning showed all races tightening up locally for Harris County and State candidates as the mysterious 20 voting districts that can never get in on time continue their streak.

Firstly, in the Presidential race, Donald Trump commanded 93.94% of Republican votes, Joe Biden took 33.6% Democrat votes, Bernie Sanders 30%, Mike Bloomberg had 14.7%, and Elizabeth Warren also ran for 11.6%.

In the race for the Senate John Cornyn was just 76% of Republicans. It looks like a battle between Mary “M.J.” Hegar 23.12% and Royce West got 14%.

In the battle for Sheriff of Harris County Ed Gonzales took 72.61% for the Democrats. Democrat

Kim Ogg won back her seat as District Attorney with 55%.

The County Attorney Office replaced Vince Ryan with only 25%, Christian Deshaun Menefee 50% and Ben Rose got 25%.

Precinct 3 Constable showed Sherman Eagleton with 48% Deborah Florus and Ken Jones both had 16% of the votes.

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Primaries start 2020 Election season

January 9, 2020

Early voting begins Feb. 18

NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY – Locally, many are anxious to vote in the 2020 November 3 election so their vote will solve the Presidential question.

March 3 Primary voting begins for early voters on February 18 and runs until Friday, February 28, according to the Texas Secretary of State. The last date to register to vote in primaries is February 3. March 3 being the last day to vote in person. Any run off is to be completed by May 26. Candidates must achieve 50% or more to avoid run off elections.

Few local candidates are unopposed this year. Dan Huberty R.,Texas House #127 after a highly successful year with House Bill 3 (school funding) and locally House Bill 76 is opposed by a Republican, Dwight Ford.

Briscoe Cain, R., Texas House #128 of Pearland, Highlands, Baytown and Crosby is challenged by Robert C. Hoskins formerly of Baytown City Council in the Republican Primary and Josh Markle and Mary E. Williams both Democrats.

District #128, a little research will show is comprised of about 172,221 folks that are 58.2% white, 38.7% black or Hispanic and 3.1% other. Ethnically, District #128 is 70.8 % non-Hispanic and 29.2% Hispanic.

Two local US Congressional elections are to be decided by voters. (more…)

Voter interest low in Election

November 7, 2019

HARRIS COUNTY – Very few voters bothered to go to the polls on Tuesday, election day. The lack of major issues or strong candidates kept the turnout down to about 10% of eligible voters.

Final vote counts were not available at press time, with only about 25% of the Precincts reporting. Based on that information, and Early Voting ballots, the results are as follows:

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Early Voting starts October 21

October 24, 2019

Constitutional Amendments, Newport Water Election

HARRIS COUNTY – Monday Oct. 21 is the first day of Early Voting in the General Election. East Harris County area residents will vote on 10 constitutional amendments, METRO’s MetroNext bond issue in some areas, Baytown councilmen, and Newport MUD bonds, . Early voting continues through November 1, and you may vote this year at any election location. The General Election is scheduled for November 5.

BAYTOWN COUNCIL

In Baytown, District 1 has Laura Alvarado vs. Mercedes Renteria III. District 2, Chris Presley is running unopposed. District 3, Charles Johnson is running unopposed.

NEWPORT MUD

In Crosby’s Newport subdivision, the MUD district is asking for voter approval of a $70 mil lion bond referendum, to be used for water, sewer, and drainage system improvements, and approval of an Ad Valorem tax in payment of the bonds.

METRO BOND ISSUE

Proposition A on the ballot would authorize a $3.5 billion bond issue, to be used for METRO street improvements, mobility projects, and other facilities. Funds for this work would come from the existing Sales Tax, and there would not be any additional taxes required. Projects included in this proposal are a new MetroRapid Bus System, more HOV lanes, and extension of the MetroRail system.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Texans will vote on 10 new Constitutional Amendments on November 5th. The issues addressed include a state income tax, creating a flood infrastructure fund, and funding for the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute of Texas. The League of Women Voters of Texas (LWVTX) conducts research on each amendment to provide fair and unbiased information to Texas voters.

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November election will vote on issues from last legislative session

August 29, 2019

TEXAS – Although it is news to most people there is an election this November 5 concerning the work of the last Legislature passed that must go to voters for approval.

Northeast Harris County will find that the Edith Faye Cook Cole Crosby Branch Library at 135 Hare Road in Crosby will begin hosting early voting on Oct. 21 through November 1. The Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Traditionally, this is the election for Mayoral candidates and this is no exception but Crosby, Huffman and Highlands have no dogs in that hunt, they are unincorporated.

There are however 10 ballot measures. (more…)

Pct. 3 Constable race finds Eagleton, Jones, Florus already registered

August 1, 2019

Ken Jones seeks old position

HARRIS COUNTY – By far the most contentious local, primary race in 2016 was the race for the Democratic candidate for Precinct 3 Constable. Now we find the incumbent Constable facing his old boss, and the wife of his last Republican opponent. While there is plenty of time for others to also run, these three have already selected a responsible financial treasurer to seek campaign finances for office.

The race will be held November 5, 2020. The official deadline for filing isn’t until Dec. 9 of 2019 for the Democratic Party. The Democratic party spokesperson indicates that they do not know who will run as yet and the Harris County Clerk of Court has no listing as to who might run.

As rumor would have it, eleven people are running for the office but no official record indicates this or whom those candidates might be.

Still with certainty, we can say that Harris County Precinct 3 Constable Sherman Eagleton is running, the former Constable Ken Jones is running, and Deborah Florus is running, and each has named an election treasurer. All three have long histories in law enforcement. Eagleton and Jones have held the office and Deborah Florus is a Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy and wife of Dan Webb, the last Republican Candidate for Precinct 3 Constable and formerly with the Department of Public Safety.

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Goose Creek CISD passes $335 M. bond

May 9, 2019

Only 1,795 voters, 181 more in favor than against, decided that taxpayers in Highlands and Baytown will float a bond for $335 Million dollars that will be implemented as the bonds are sold.

This Goose Creek Consolidated ISD bond was decided by residents in both Harris and Chambers Counties with 988 for it and 807 against. Early voting decided the issue, 690 to 523 in Harris. Absentee votes in Harris County were 21 for to 7. In Chambers County early voters favored the bond 102 to 80.

On election day, the bond would not have passed. Harris County voters were 114 in favor to 130 against. In Chambers County the vote went 61 for to 67 against on May 4.

A $100,000 valuation house could see about $116 more a year in school taxes as the rate could go to $1.547 from $1.432, the current rate. The rate increase is not to occur all at once but be phased in as the bonds are sold. (more…)