County Commissioners agree to election software changes due to redistricting
At their regular meeting last week, the Stephens County Commissioners voted to make the necessary changes in the election software to accommodate for the recent changes caused by redistricting. They also reinstated the local burn ban and took action on a couple of situations regarding road crossings.
Stephens County Tax Assessor/Elections Administrator Christie Latham explained to the commissioners that the recent redistricting of the state’s political districts by the Texas Legislature will combine the county’s two U.S. congressional districts into one. For the past 10 years, Stephens County has been split into District 11, represented by August Pfluger, and District 19, represented by Jodey Arrington.
Although Pfluger and Arrington will continue to serve the county through the end of 2022, beginning with the upcoming election cycle, local voters will be voting on candidates in District 25, which will include all of Stephens County, as well as Young, Jack, Palo Pinto, Eastland, Erath, Comanche, Hood and Somervell counties, and parts of Parker, Callahan, Tarrant and Johnson counties.
Because of the redistricting, Latham needed the commissioner’s court to approve the changes in the election software reflecting the new district. The information on the voter cards and ballots needs to be changed.
“So, we’re doing away with the two congressional districts going to one, and … it just has to go through the court’s approval before I can make any changes in my election software system,” she said. “And … we’ve got to have it completed by December 31.”
The commissioners approved the request to make the changes.
County Road Crossings
The meeting’s agenda included two items related to pipelines crossing county roads. The first was a request by the Stephens Regional Special Utility District to cross CR 146 with a 1-inch poly water line ditched and encased in a 2-inch poly line.
SRSUD had properly filled out the application and paid the necessary fees for the request, which was approved by the commissioners.
They also discussed an unauthorized road crossing on CR 287, installing a pipeline across road, damaging the road. According to the commissioners, the action was taken without the proper application procedure being followed or fees being paid.
The commissioners agreed to have the county attorney send a letter to the person responsible for the damage, explaining that the road be repaired and that the necessary fees be paid.
Other business
The commissioners also approved the annual contract with QT POD, the company that processes all of the credit card transactions for the fuel pump at the Stephens County Airport, and they reinstated the burn ban for Stephens County.
The Stephens County Commissioners Court is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 13.
Cutline, top photo: Christie Latham, the Stephens County Tax Assessor/Elections Administrator, discusses the changes that need to be made to the election software due to recent congressional redistricting at last week’s County Commissioners meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The Breckenridge Texan is in the midst of our annual fundraising campaign with the national organization NewsMatch. Donations made through the end of December will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch. The Breckenridge Texan is a non-profit news website covering Stephens County and Breckenridge, Texas, that depends on donations, as well as advertising, to continue our work. We appreciate your contributions. To make a donation, click here.
