Early Voting Encouraged for Primary Runoff Election

Secretary of State John Scott is encouraging all registered Texas voters to vote early in the May 24th Primary Runoff Elections.

The Early Voting period has already started, and will end on Friday, May 20.

Under Texas law, voters who cast a ballot in either party’s primary election must vote in the same party’s primary runoff election. Voters who did not cast a ballot in the March 1st Primary Elections may vote in either party’s Primary Runoff Election.

Here are the candidates that will be on the Primary Runoff ballots in Freestone County:

Republican Candidates
–87th District Judge: Dan Scarbrough vs. Amy Thomas Ward
–Railroad Commissioner: Wayne Christian vs. Sarah Stogner
–Commissioner of the General Land Office: Dawn Buckingham vs. Tim Westley
–Attorney General: George P. Bush vs. Ken Paxton

Democratic Candidates
–Commissioner of the General Land Office: Jay Kleberg vs. Sandragrace Martinez
–Comptroller of Public Accounts: Janet T. Dudding vs. Angel Luis Vega
–Attorney General: Rochelle Mercedes Garza vs. Joe Jaworski
–Lieutenant Governor: Michelle Beckley vs. Mike Collier

Early Voting

During the Early Voting period, you can vote at any early voting location in your county of residence, regardless of which party’s primary runoff election you plan to vote in.

There are two locations in Freestone County for Early Voting: the Fairfield Conference Center at 839 E. Commerce Street and Teague City Hall at 105 South 4th Street. Polls will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Voter ID

When you arrive at the polling place, you will be asked to present one of the seven acceptable forms of photo identification, which 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 or United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph

– United States Passport (book or card)

For voters ages 18-69, the acceptable form of photo ID can be expired up to four years. For voters ages 70 or older, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for any length of time.

If you do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the seven approved forms of photo ID, you may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and present an alternative form of ID, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or your voter registration certificate.

Voting by Mail

In Texas, you are eligible to vote by mail if you are:

– 65 years of age or older

– Sick or disabled

– Expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day

– Absent from your county of registration during the Early Voting period and on Election Day

– Civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code

– Confined in jail, but otherwise eligible

If you have not already submitted an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) for this year’s elections, your completed ABBM must be received by your county’s early voting clerk in order to receive a mail-in ballot for the May 24th Primary Runoff Election. Make sure to indicate which party’s primary election you want to participate in.

When completing your ABBM, you must provide ONE of the following numbers in the ID field at the top right-hand corner of the application form:

Texas Driver’s License, Texas Personal Identification Number or Election Identification Certificate Number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (not your voter registration VUID number), or if you have not been issued one of the numbers above, the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

If you have not been issued a Texas Driver’s License, Texas Personal Identification Number or Texas Election Identification Certificate Number or a Social Security Number, you must indicate so by checking the appropriate box on the ABBM. You are welcome to provide both numbers if you choose to do so.

The same ID requirement applies to the mail ballot carrier envelope, which has an ID field located under the flap to protect the security of personal information.

Track the status of your ballot by mail and add or correct any missing or mismatched ID information through the Texas Secretary of State’s Ballot by Mail Tracker available at VoteTexas.gov.

Read the Texas Secretary of State’s informational pamphlets for voters who are eligible to vote by mail in English and Spanish.

For more information on the voting process in Texas, including what to expect at the polling place, you can visit www.votetexas.gov.

Election Day Poll Locations

Polls will be open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the Primary Runoff Election Day next week on Tuesday, May 24th. Locations are as follows:

–Pct. 1 – Fairfield: Fairfield Conference Center, 839 E Commerce Street

–Pct. 2 – Fairfield: Chamber of Commerce, 900 W. Commerce Street

–Pct. 3 – Donie: Donie Community Center, 215 Main Street

–Pct 4 – Cotton Gin: Cotton Gin Voting Bldg., 795 FM 1366

–Pct. 5 – Teague: First Baptist Church, 613 Walnut Street

–Pct. 6 – Kirvin: Kirvin Baptist Church, 200 Main Street

–Pct. 7 – Wortham: Wortham Community Center, 105 E. Main Street

–Pct 8 – St. Elmo: Southern Oaks Clubhouse, 111 Southern Oaks Drive