County officials ready for early voting 

Cameron and Hidalgo counties’ voters will decide on 17 constitutional amendments and bond elections from school and drainage districts during early voting through Oct. 31.

South Padre Island, the City of Los Fresnos and the City of Harlingen will have candidates running for office, according to an elections official.

Remi Garza, Cameron County elections administrator, said there are over 236,000 registered voters in Cameron County as of Oct. 13.

“Each election cycle is different,” Garza said. “Usually during constitutional amendments, we’ll see anywhere from 10 to 12% of those who are registered.”

He added the turnout is disappointing for them since they prepare for a “large turnout” every time, but it is nowhere near to gubernatorial or presidential elections.

The election administrator said constitutional amendment elections are not necessarily “very exciting” and its turnout depends on the influence where people get engaged.

“There’s usually not a candidate pushing certain campaigns or issues, so people aren’t aware of them, but they’re extremely important because this is changing how the state of Texas governs and what laws can put in place and what taxes can impose,” Garza said.

He added sample ballots are available online on the Cameron County election website.

“Constitutional amendment elections, they can be confusing, and if you are approaching those for the first time in the voting booth you might not fully understand what the implications are,” Garza said.

He said he encourages voters to read the constitutional amendments in advance, and find the explanation from the Secretary of State’s website.

He said this year the UTRGV Brownsville campus is not a voting location.

“Unfortunately, we’re not able to provide a voting place there,” Garza said. “We always have trouble securing our voting equipment and competing with class schedules.”

He said they will be working “very closely” with administration to establish a polling site, so every election has an early voting location on campus.

Garza said he thinks it is important for college students to vote in this election because they engage in the community.

“Everybody should be exercising their civic responsibilities,” he said. “… So you definitely want to make sure that you’re getting your voice heard during the election as soon as you can.”

While Cameron County officials expect turnout to remain low, Hidalgo County is preparing for steady participation, bolstered by several local races and is rolling out new technology to make the process smoother.

Hilda Salinas, Hidalgo County elections administrator, said there are about 450,000 registered voters in the county. Along with 17 proposed constitutional amendments, voters will see races for the City of Alamo, the City of Edinburg, PSJA Independent School District and the City of Edcouch on the ballot.

Unlike Cameron County, UTRGV’s Edinburg campus will serve as both an early voting and Election Day polling location. In total, 29 early voting sites will be available across Hidalgo County.

Salinas encouraged voters to use the county’s online resources, which include a sample ballot lookup tool and explanatory statements for all 17 proposed amendments.

She also highlighted the county’s new electronic voter check-in system, which will replace paper labels with digital signatures on tablets.

“It’s your vote, it’s your voice,” Salinas said. “When you take the time to be informed, you’re participating in something that matters.”

Alvaro Corral, a UTRGV political science assistant professor, said most voters tend to approve the amendments that get proposed.

According to Corral, the 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot are about taxes.

He said on one hand the state of Texas is trying to get specific taxes cut or abolished entirely on small business, homeowners, veterans and disabled. The other is total prohibition on certain taxes around inheritance, this to seek to decrease the state’s tax burden.

He said he encourages voters to look at their sample ballots on their county registrar websites.

“If you don’t want to be caught off guard and you want to go in informed about what you’re voting on,” he said. “I encourage voters and students to go to their county registrar’s website.” 

Corral said it is important for college students to vote in every election. 

He added all the constitutional amendments have ramifications for the future in terms of what to expect from the state. 

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