Gregg County, we will do higher than this.
Through the early voting interval that ended Friday, the variety of voters from each events who took time to solid ballots was lower than within the earlier two March primaries. Frankly, neither of these had been blockbuster turnouts, both.
In a county with greater than 70,200 registered voters, by the top of early voting Friday, solely 5,226 Republicans and 1,670 Democrats had finished their patriotic obligation by attending to early voting places and casting ballots.
What a tragic testomony.
If you’re among the many 63,000 voters who didn’t vote, right here’s the excellent news: Today is Election Day, so you might have another likelihood. All you must do is look elsewhere in in the present day’s editions to discover a polling place, get there earlier than polls shut at 7 p.m. and show you care about your county, state and nation.
We strongly urge each registered voter to do this. Voting is a vital proper and a accountability of citizenship. It’s one we take as a right at nice peril to our system of presidency.
And with latest modifications, voting is simpler than ever.
Under countywide voting, you possibly can vote at any of 18 polling locations open in the present day countywide. Gone are the times once we might vote solely in our neighborhoods. Use our record to search out the ballot that’s closest to your office, close to the place you’re having lunch, or on the way in which dwelling. Then go vote.
We can hear Republicans asking why they need to take time vote when President Donald Trump has no actual occasion opposition. Simple: That’s removed from an important race on the poll.
While the nationwide media and the TV speaking heads are screeching in regards to the presidential race, there are also native races right here, throughout East Texas and statewide, the outcomes of which may have extra direct and common impression in your every day lives than who occupies the White House.
Here in Gregg County, Joe Parker and Floyd Wingo are vying to exchange retiring Pct. 3 Commissioner Gary Boyd, whereas incumbent Pct. 2 Constable Billy Fort is challenged by John Bisese, and incumbent Pct. 3 Constable John Slagle has an opponent in John McCubbin.
There’s additionally a jam-packed presidential poll on the Democratic aspect to choose a challenger to Trump. Other federal races embody 12 Democratic candidates vying to problem incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in November. And Cornyn faces 4 challengers in his personal occasion’s main.
Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, who represents Northeast Texas, faces a challenger in his occasion main and the winner will face lone Democratic candidate Hank Gilbert in November.
We know some will argue they merely can’t discover just a few spare minutes within the 12-hour window polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to maintain this civic obligation. We’ll guess that until there’s a real emergency scenario, you’re fallacious. Go vote.
