Early Voting Starting in East Texas

EAST TEXAS – Today’s the first day of early voting for the city and school elections in East Texas. The Smith County Elections Office is responsible for conducting all elections, not only for county offices, but also for city, school, state and federal elections. They will be conducting elections for races in the Tyler, Whitehouse, Chapel Hill, Bullard, Arp and Winona Independent School Districts and the cities of Tyler, Lindale, Hideaway and Winona. Voters in the Tyler school district will decide a $198 million school bond proposal that is for renovations at John Tyler and Robert E Lee high schools. Voters in Tyler city council District 5 will pick a successor to Mark Whatley, who can not run again because of term limits. Running are Bob Westbrook and Alan J. Lizarraga.

Early voting will run from Monday through Tuesday, May 2nd. Election Day is from 7:00am to 7:00pm on Saturday, May 6. The Main Early Voting Location is the R.B. Hubbard Center, “The Hub,” at 304 East Ferguson in Tyler. There are other locations scattered around Smith County. You can go to http://www.smith-county.com and click on the elections department for the other locations and when they will be open.

By the way, The League of Women Voters of Tyler/Smith County (LWV-TSC) will be holding a forum for the local elections tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 in the Taylor Auditorium of the Tyler Public Library. The guests include City Council candidates Westbrook and Lizarraga. Dr. Marty Crawford, the Superintendent of Tyler School District, will present information regarding the bond election. Go to http://www.ktbb.com/calendarofevents/ for additional information.

In Gregg County, White Oak City, White Oak School, and Kilgore City will be conducting elections on May 6. Early Voting for those elections will be held on the same dates as in Smith County. If you are a registered voter in one of those entities, you may vote in this election. Go to http://www.greggcountyvotes.com/early-voting/ for more information.