Representatives from both major parties urge voters with their minds made up to take advantage of early voting, as turnout is expected to be heavy on Election Day.
“We see a greater voter turnout when there is a presidential election,” said Nancy Boston, chairwoman of the Republican Party in Bell County.
Something with the potential to make this local election interesting is the Obama factor, or the idea that he is going to bring more votes to local Democrats.
The Democratic primary in March drew more voters than did the Republican primary.
Democrats say there is going to be a trickle down from the primary to this election, that the Obama factor could bring a Democrat to office in a county made up entirely of Republican elected officials.
“There is going to be an Obama factor for these local guys,” said Arthur Resa, Bell County Democratic Party chairman. “Without Obama, things would be different. Our biggest concern is will the county be able to handle the voter turnout?”
Republicans question the validity of the primary turnout. They say Republicans influenced it more than a groundswell of support from within the Democratic Party.
Republicans from all over the state voted in the Democratic primary to try and influence the result.
“I don’t see it playing an impact on my race,” said Ralph Sheffield, Republican candidate for District 55, said of the Obama factor. “I think McCain is solid in the state of Texas.”
Dr. David Holcomb, a political science professor from University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, said he was very skeptical about the Obama factor making an impact on local races.
“This county is solidly Republican,” he said. “I see no major surprises here or for the state as a whole.”
Holcomb did say a race to watch is the District 55 Texas House of Representative race between Sheffield and Democrat Sam Murphey.
Rather than an Obama factor, Holcomb said the District 55 race may have a Martha Tyroch factor. He said he has heard that some Republicans who supported Mrs. Tyroch may cross party lines in favor of Murphey.
“We expect Sam to get elected,” Resa said. “I’m saying that because we’re seeing a lot of Republicans and Independents come into our office.”
Whether the presidential race will play a role in Milam County’s election is hard to tell. Apart from contested races on national and state levels, Milam County’s Nov. 4 general election will be relatively quiet, except for the race for Precinct 1 constable.
Precinct 1 voters will elect a commissioner to replace retiring office-holder Clifford Whiteley. Candidates are George W. Tomek, a Precinct 2 employee, who is a Democrat, and Garry Kelarek, an owner and operator of a construction and landscaping business, a Republican.
Staff writer Jeanne Williams contributed to this report.
