Breckenridge Texan

The Breckenridge Independent School District’s upcoming election for three places on the Board of Trustees is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, and the deadline to register to vote in that election is Thursday, April 1.

BISD is the only one of the three local entities to hold an election this year. Neither the Breckenridge City Commission nor the Stephens Memorial Hospital District had opposed candidates for their open positions, so they do not have to hold elections.

For the City of Breckenridge, the two incumbents — David Wimberley (Place 3) and Tom Cyprian (Place 4) — did not file to run for re-election. Vince Moore was the only person to file for Place 3, and Gary Mercer was the only candidate to file for Place 4. Therefore, they will automatically be elected to those positions, and an election will not be necessary.

The SMH Board of Directors had three at-large positions up for election. All three board members — Tom Echols, Kaylee Curtis and Gregg Goodall — were unopposed in their bids for re-election. As with the city, they will automatically be re-elected and no election will be necessary.

BISD Election

The BISD Board of Trustees initially had two places up for election — Place 1, currently held by School Board President Graham Reaugh, and Place 2, currently held by Paul Lippe.

Then, last month, Ardes Johnson resigned from Place 7. Since that is an unexpired term, it requires a Special Election, which will be held on the same day as the regular election, May 1.

The ballot will include:

• Place 1: Graham Reaugh
• Place 2: Paul Lippe and Jimmy McKay
• Place 7: Chad Townson and Tammy Wimberley-Anderson

Early Voting will be April 19-April 27, and the election will be on May 1. Both Early Voting and Election Day voting will take place at the BISD Administration Building, 208 N. Miller St.

Register to Vote

Thursday, April 1, will be the the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming May 1 BISD Board of Trustees election.

You may check to see if you are already registered to vote through the Texas Secretary of State’s web site or by visiting www.votetexas.gov.

If you are not already registered to vote in Stephens County, you may register in person at the county Voter Registrar’s office. In Stephens County, that is the office of Tax Assessor-Collector Christie Latham, in the courthouse at 200 W. Walker St.

To register to vote, you may pick up an application at the Stephens County Courthouse or you can complete and print a voter registration application online at the Secretary of State’s website. Once completed, the application may be submitted to the Stephens County Voter Registrar’s office (Tax Assessor-Collector’s office) in person or by mail.

Ballot by Mail

Registered voters who meet certain criteria may vote by mail.

According to the Texas Secretary of State’s office, to be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must:

• be 65 years or older;
• be sick or disabled;
• be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or
• be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible.

The last day to apply for a Ballot by Mail for the May 1 BISD election is Tuesday, April 20. Note: that is the day that the application for a Ballot by Mail must be received by BISD.

To apply for a Ballot by Mail, you’ll need an application that can be obtained at the Stephens County Courthouse in the Tax Assessor/Voter Registrar’s office or online (click here to download the form). Or, you can fill out a form directly online to apply (click here to go to the Secretary of State’s “Request a Ballot by Mail” web page).

Once you’ve filled out the Application for a Ballot by Mail, it must be returned to the BISD Administration Office by April 20. You can drop it by the office at 208 N. Miller or mail it to: Brittany Edgar, Breckenridge ISD, P.O. Box 1738, Breckenridge, Texas 76424.

Voters wanting to vote by mail must re-apply every year in order to receive ballots for each election in that year. There are instructions on the application.