Amarillo League of Women Voters registers last voters before deadline for May election

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·3 min read
1

On Thursday, the last day to register before the upcoming May elections, the Amarillo League of Women Voters (LWV) hosted a voter registration event at the Potter County Election Office and Randall County Annex, supplying community members with information about the upcoming elections and polling locations near them.

The group's next activites include the release of their Voters' Guide this week, as well as hosting two candidate forums.

The May 6 election will determine who will serve as the next Amarillo mayor, as well as positions on the city council, Amarillo College Board of Regents and area school boards.

According to Delores Thompson, volunteer deputy registrar with LWV, a few individuals had walked in to get registered Thursday, as well as a few individuals that just happened to pass by in the building.

"We all need to be voting. ... We have to do something to make change. I think everyone has a view on the way things should be, and we have a say in that by voting. It's our privilege; people have died so we could vote, so just go vote," Thompson said.

Amanda Guerra, right, and Andrew Guerra register to vote, with the help of the Amarillo League of Women Voters, before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.
Amanda Guerra, right, and Andrew Guerra register to vote, with the help of the Amarillo League of Women Voters, before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.
Andrew Guerra registers to vote, with the help of the Amarillo League of Women Voters before registration closes Thursday afternoon for the May elections, at the Potter County Elections Office.
Andrew Guerra registers to vote, with the help of the Amarillo League of Women Voters before registration closes Thursday afternoon for the May elections, at the Potter County Elections Office.

The registration process took no longer than a few minutes for Amanda and Andrew Guerra. Amanda Guerra said she had planned on registering but had forgotten about it until she just so happened to be in the elections office that day and seized the opportunity.

"I didn't expect to register today. ... I've been meaning to, but I just never did it and now I have," Amanda Guerra said.

She added that she plans to vote in the upcoming election, and her advice to anyone who missed voter registration is to register now for next election.

Registration is now closed for the upcoming May elections.

Delores Thompson, volunteer deputy registrar with the Amarillo League of Women Voters, helps individuals register to vote before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.
Delores Thompson, volunteer deputy registrar with the Amarillo League of Women Voters, helps individuals register to vote before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.
Delores Thompson, volunteer deputy registrar with the Amarillo League of Women Voters, helps individuals register to vote before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.
Delores Thompson, volunteer deputy registrar with the Amarillo League of Women Voters, helps individuals register to vote before registration closes Thursday afternoon at the Potter County Elections Office.

LWV also announced the release of their latest Voters' Guides, which will be available as soon as Monday, April 10 in both English and Spanish. Guides will be available at public libraries, United grocery stores, Market 33, Palace Coffee locations, Roasters coffee locations, senior living centers, the Randall County Annex, election administration offices, and local high schools.

These non-partisan guides will also be available online at Vote411.org. For more information, please contact the Amarillo LWV at 806-337-2148 or amarillolwv@gmail.com.

LWV and Elevate Amarillo will also host two public Candidate Forums. One will be held for the Canyon Independent School District Trustees positions on Tuesday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at the Cole Community Center, located at 300 16th St. in Canyon, with Matt Loftin as moderator.

The second forum will feature candidates for Amarillo mayor, Amarillo City Council, Amarillo College Board of Regents, Amarillo ISD, Highland Park ISD and Bushland ISD, at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 13 on the 2nd floor of the College Union Building, located at the Amarillo College Washington Campus. Skylar Gallop will serve as moderator.

Potter and Randall County elections administrators will have voting machines available at both forums, so voters can see how cumulative voting works. At 5:30 p.m. HTeaO will provide tea and water, and league members will provide refreshments for both forums.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that seeks to register, educate and motivate voters to participate in our democracy. For more information about the League, contact the Amarillo LWV at 806-337-2148 or amarillolwv@gmail.com.

Important May election dates

  • Last day to register to vote: April 6

  • First day of early voting: Monday, April 24

  • Last day to apply for ballot by mail: Tuesday, April 25

  • Last day of early voting: Tuesday, May 2

  • Last day to receive vallot by mail: Saturday, May 6 (election day) at 7 p.m. if carrier envelope is not postmarked, or Monday, May 8 (next business day after Election Day) at 5 p.m. if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day (unless overseas or military voter deadlines apply).

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo LWV helps with voter registration, election guides, forums