Ballots promise big changes on Election Day

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

Early voting opens on Monday, Oct. 20 for the Nov. 4 General Election.

In Lockhart and Caldwell County, the election will bring about a change in leadership at the highest levels, but some may find themselves confused by the balloting process.

Of particular note, the Lockhart Independent School

District has chosen to hold their election jointly through the Caldwell County General Election; the list of At-Large candidates appearing on the back of the ballot may give voters pause.

Because of the rules that govern the at-large election process for LISD, each of the six candidates running for one of the three at-large positions appears three times on the ballot. Voters in LISD are allowed a total of three votes, one for each at-large seat. Those votes may be allocated to a single candidate, divided between two candidates, or the voter may pick three separate candidates.

When the votes are tallied, the top-three vote-getters take office, whether a “majority” is achieved or not.

Lockhart voters will be choosing leadership for the Lockhart City Council, as well, as incumbent Mayor Lew White faces a challenge from local businessman Homer “Papa” Shaw.

District 3 Councilmember Benny Hilburn is unopposed, and three candidates, business owners Jeffry Michelson and Connie Amaya, and real estate agent Janet Tiemann vie for the District 4 seat vacated by Richard Banks’ resignation earlier this year.

On the statewide ballot, Lockhart and Caldwell County voters have once again been split into two separate US Congressional Districts.

Voters in District 27, which includes the southern portions of Caldwell County, and half of Lockhart, will be asked to choose between Republican incumbent Blake Farenthold, and Democratic challenger Wesley Reed, a military-trained commercial pilot, and Libertarian Roxanne Simpson.

On the other side of Caldwell County, Democrat incumbent Lloyd Doggett will defend his seat as the District 35 US Representative against former San Marcos Mayor, Republican Susan Narvaiz, Libertarian Cory W. Bruner, and Green Party candidate Kat Swift.

Republican Senator John Cornyn has also asked the voters to send him back to Washington, D.C. The six-term Senator will face a four-way battle against Democrat David M. Alameel, a dentist and former candidate for the 33rd District in the Texas House, as well as Libertarian Rebecca Paddock and Green Party candidate Emily “Spicybrown” Sanchez.

The race between Attorney General Greg Abbott and Democratic State Senator Wendy R. Davis has been heating up for months. The pair are seeking the office of the Governor against Libertarian Kathie Glass and Green Party candidate Brandon Parmer.

Republican Dan Patrick, who unseated incumbent Lt. Governor David Dewhurst in the Primary election, will face Democratic State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, of San Antonio, as well as Libertarian Robert D. Butler, and Green Party candidate Chandrakantha Courtney.

The seat having been vacated by Abbott’s run for Governor, Republican State Senator Ken Paxton and Democrat Sam Houston, an attorney in Harris County, will square off with Libertarian Jamie Balagia, an Austin attorney, and Green Party nominee Jamar Osborne for the chance to be Abbott’s replacement as Attorney General.

Current State Senator Glenn Hegar, a Republican, has chosen to step away from the Senate and run for Comptroller of Public Accounts. He will face Democrat and former Exxon executive Mike Collier, as well as Libertarian Ben Sanders and Green Party candidate Deb Shafto.

A sample ballot is available in last week’s Post-Register, and future editions will include polling locations and other election information.