Breckenridge Texan

Early voting in the Republican and Democratic Primary Election will once again get underway on Monday, Feb. 26, at the Stephens County Courthouse, following three missed days of voting last week.

There was no voting on Monday because the courthouse was closed for the President’s Day holiday, and then on Wednesday and Thursday, voting was canceled because of bad weather.

According to Stephens County Tax Assessor-Collector Christie Latham, who is the county’s election coordinator, there were 103 early votes cast on Tuesday and 111 on Friday for a total of 214 votes for the week.

“Tuesday was your first day, and that’s always busy, and Fridays are usually pretty busy,” she said. “It’s to be expected; it wasn’t overloaded, it was about what we expected.”

Early voting will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, March 2. Election Day will be Tuesday, March 6. Early voting will take place at the Stephens County Courthouse, 200 W. Walker St., for all precincts.

On Election Day, voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m in each precinct voting location. Those locations are:

Precinct 1
First National Bank Tower room
101 E. Walker

Precinct 2
First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall
1601 W. Elliott

Precinct 3
Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce
100 E. Elm

Precinct 4
BISD Support Center (Bus Barn)
907 U.S. Highway 183 North

Precinct 5
Wayland Volunteer Fire Department
10276 FM 1852

Local offices that will be on the ballot include County Judge, County Commissioners for Precincts 2 and 4, District Clerk, County Treasurer and Justice of the Peace. All of the local candidates are running as Republicans and will be on the Republican Primary ballot. No local Democratic candidates signed up for any of the Stephens County races; the Democratic Primary ballot will have only candidates for state offices.

In the Justice of the Peace race, Dan Young, James Wrenn, Leslie LeBus Blackerby, Phil Devenport and Steve Spoon are running for the position that will be vacated by Michael Roach, who is running unopposed for the County Judge position.

County Judge Gary Fuller is set to retire when his current term ends in 2018. Precinct 2 Commissioner D.C. “Button” Sikes and Precinct 4 Commissioner Rickie Carr also will retire after their terms end in 2018.

On the ballot in the Precinct 4 County Commissioner’s race, Jamie V. Whitley, Rodger Yoes, Donnie Sechrest, Eric O’Dell and Jim Blancq are running. In the Precinct 2 County Commissioner’s race, there are three candidates, Bear Grissom, Mark Campbell and Mark McCullough.

In the County Treasurer’s race, Robin McCarthy and incumbent Sharon Trigg are on the ballot.

Stephens County Clerk Jackie Ensey and District Clerk Christie Coapland are running unopposed. Graham Reaugh is also running unopposed for Stephens County Republican County Chair.

Statewide Offices
Additionally, statewide, the ballot will include: U.S. Senator; U.S. Representatives for Districts 11 and 19, Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Comptroller of Public Accounts; Commissioner of the General Land Office; Commissioner of Agriculture; Railroad Commissioner; Texas Supreme Court Justice for Places 2, 4 and 6; Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge; Court of Criminal Appeals Judge for Places 7 and 8; State Representative for District 60; and, 11th Court of Appeals District Chief Justice.

The three Republican candidates vying for the District 60 seat in the Texas House of Representatives — Gregory Risse, Jim Largent and incumbent Mike Lang — recently met in Cisco for a debate. You can click here to see a video of that debate. There are no Democratic candidates for that seat.

Voter ID Requirements
Texas voters who possess one of the seven approved forms of photo ID must present that ID at the polls. Voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the seven forms of approved photo ID may execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form, available to them at each polling location, and provide a supporting form of identification. Additionally, certain voters may qualify for certain exemptions to presenting an acceptable form of photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure.

• The seven forms of approved photo ID are:
• Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States Passport (book or card)

With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, the acceptable photo ID must be current or, for voters aged 18-69, have expired no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place. A voter 70 years of age or older may use a form of acceptable photo ID listed above that has expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.

If a voter does not possess one of the forms of acceptable photo identification listed above, and the voter cannot reasonably obtain such identification, the voter may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form, which will be available at each polling location, and present a copy or original of one of the following supporting forms of identification:

• a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
• a current utility bill
• a bank statement
• a government check
• a paycheck
• a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate
• a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

The address on an acceptable form of photo identification or a supporting form of identification, if applicable, does not have to match the voter’s address on the list of registered voters.

If a voter meets these requirements and is otherwise eligible to vote, the voter will be able to cast a regular ballot in the election.

Voters with a disability may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to presenting an acceptable form of photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure at the polls. Voters with a religious objection to being photographed or voters who do not present an acceptable form of photo identification or follow the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure at the polls because of certain natural disasters may apply for a temporary exemption to presenting an acceptable form of photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure. For more details, voters may contact their county voter registrar.

Breckenridge Texan’s 2018 Primary Election Page

Click here to visit the Breckenridge Texan’s 2018 Primary Election page.
For the Justice of the Peace profiles, click here.
For the County Commissioner, Precinct 2, profiles, click here.
For the County Commissioner, Precinct 4 profiles, click here.
For the County Treasurer profiles, click here.
To see Sample Ballots for each precinct, click here.

Story by Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown

Cutline, top photo: Candidates’ campaign signs line a fence on U.S. 180 West late last week. The icy weather caused the cancellation of Early Voting for two days last week, but the polls will be open at the Stephens County Courthouse Monday through Friday, Feb. 26-March 2. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Note: This article was edited at 6:25 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, to add the times for Early Voting.