Breckenridge Texan

Postponed due to COVID-19 risks, the Texas 2020 primary runoff election is schedule for Tuesday, July 14, with early voting scheduled for June 29 through July 10. The deadline to register to vote in the runoff is Monday, June 15.

Locally, the runoff primary election will be between David Fambro and Chad Ezell for the Republican nomination for Stephens County Commissioner, Precinct 1. There are a few state offices on the Republican ballot, depending on the precinct, and a couple of state races on the Democratic ballot.

Normally Early Voting for a run-off election is only one week, however due to Covid-19, and in an effort to try to avoid a lot of social congestion with lines to vote, they have extended the Early Voting period to two weeks, said Christie Latham, the Stephens County elections coordinator. Early Voting will begin on Monday, June 29, and continue through Thursday, July 2. After the Independence Day weekend, Early Voting will resume on Monday July 6, through Friday, July 10.

Currently, the rules for Ballots By Mail remains the same:  Registered voters wanting to vote by mail must be over 65, disabled, or temporarily out of the county.

The last day to apply for a Ballot By Mail is Thursday, July 2, 2020. Ballots received by mail must be returned by mail, Latham said.   They cannot be hand delivered to the Early Voting Clerk at the Tax Office. The only exception to the rule is on Election Day. If a person has requested a Ballot by Mail, the ballot may be returned to the Early Voting Clerk on Election Day only by the actual voter. No one can deliver it for them. Additionally, an affidavit must be signed and government-issued photo ID must be presented if the voter chooses to return their Ballot by Mail in person.

For more details about voting, including how to check if you’re registered to vote, visit the Vote Texas website: https://www.votetexas.gov/ .

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Monday, June 29, to update the dates for Early Voting.