Those same five locations also will be the only polling places for the May 12 election.
Voters began casting ballots Monday morning in several area elections, including the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the elderly and disabled’s frozen ad valorem taxes to be lowered to reflect the reduction in school tax rates. Other elections included the Temple school district’s $19.9 bond issue and two places on the board of trustees.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, 337 people had cast ballots on the constitutional amendment: 80 in Belton, 61 in Harker Heights, 97 in Temple and 94 in Killeen. The elections department also received five ballots by mail.
County officials said Monday during the Bell County Commissioners Court meeting that they opted to consolidate the voting locations because of an expected light turnout and cost.
“It’s very easy, very convenient,” County Judge Jon Burrows said. “We’re trying to get the word out so people will know where to vote.”
Polling locations are at the Bell County Courthouse Annex on 2nd Avenue, the Killeen Annex on Priest Drive, the Killeen Community Center on Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Harker Heights Parks and Recreation and the Temple Annex on Central Avenue. The polling places are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 6-7.
Then on May 12 those same five polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and any Bell County registered voter may vote at any of the five locations.
“It’s the fact of low voter turnout and the difficulty of getting workers to man all those locations, especially when there’s people not coming in,” Burrows said about the consolidation move for this election.
Jana Faucett, election clerk, said she ordered 14,000 ballots for this election. During the November election, about 45,000 people cast ballots.
Although the state ordered the election, it is not paying for the election. Faucett estimated this special election would cost the county about $27,000 to pay the 50 election workers and for the printing of the ballots.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Tim Brown said he received one telephone call from a woman upset that there wouldn’t be a polling location in Salado.
“It’s not feasible to have a voting place in every location,” he said.
Temple school district
In Temple, 154 came out to vote for two school board races and a $19.9-million bond election.
This same time last year 54 people voted on the first day of early voting.
On the first day of early voting for the 2003 election, 217 voted on the $104.8 million that failed to pass.
Early voting for the District 1 race and the District 7 races will continue until May 8 at the Classroom Support and Services Center, 200 North 23rd St.
Voting hours:
Today - Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday,and Tuesday, May 8, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A voter registration card or driver’s license are recommended to vote. Another form of picture ID or a utility bill will also be accepted.
- Kevin Chandler contributed to this report.
jsicking@temple-telegram.com
