Nearly 3,000 Wichita County residents go to polls in first week of early voting

Through Sunday, 2,978 Wichita County residents had turned out to vote early in the Nov. 7 election.

For voters in Wichita Falls, the ballot contains races for mayor and three City Council seats. City View Independent School District has two seats open on its Board of Trustees, but neither is contested.

Early voting continues through this week in Wichita County
Early voting continues through this week in Wichita County

All county residents may vote on a list of 14 proposed state constitutional amendments. The amendments of greatest interest are Prop. 4, which would increase homeowners’ property tax exemption, and Prop 9, which would increase retirement income for teachers.

Here are the early voting locations and times:

Wichita County Courthouse, 900 Seventh St.

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 23-27

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov.3

Home Depot, 3705 Kell Blvd.

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 23-28

1 p.m.- 5 p.m. Oct. 29

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 3

Sikes Senter, 3111 Midwestern Pkwy.

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 23-28

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.  Oct. 29

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 3

Comm. Pct. 2 Bldg., 102 W. College, Burkburnett

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 23-27

8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Oct. 28

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 29

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1

8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Nov. 2-3

Tax Office Substation, 400 N. Wall, Iowa Park

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 23-28

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 29

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1

8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Nov. 2-3

Comm. Pct. 4 Bldg., 2023 State Hwy. 25 N, Electra

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 23 – 27

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 3

Candidates for Wichita Falls mayor are:

  • Carol Murray

  • Beverly Taylor Ellis

  • Tim Short

  • (Scott Poenitzsch is available to vote for as a write-in candidate)

Candidates for City Council District 3 are:

  • Cathy Dodson

  • Jeff Browning

Candidates for City Council District 4 are:

  • Mike Battaglino

  • Kevin Hunter

  • Samuel Pak

Candidates for City Council District 5 are:

  • Steve Jackson

  • Tom Taylor

Of the 14 statewide propositions on the ballot, Prop. 4 is likely the most impactful to the largest number of Texas residents. It would raise the homestead exemptions on school taxes from $40,000 to $100,000.

  • Prop. 1 – to protect right to engage in farm, ranch, timber production, horticulture, or wildlife management practices on real property that the person owns or leases.

  • Prop. 2 – allows the governing body of a county or municipality to exempt from property taxation appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility.

  • Prop. 3 – prohibits the legislature from imposing a tax based on the wealth or net worth of an individual or family.

  • Prop. 4 – would authorize the Legislature to temporarily limit the maximum appraised value of real property for property tax purposes and increase the mandatory homestead exemption for school district property taxation from $40,000 to $100,000.

  • Prop. 5 – to redesignate the national research university fund as the Texas University Fund (TUF), and to appropriate funds from the economic stabilization fund to the TUF.

  • Prop. 6 – would create the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in the state.

  • Prop. 7 – to establish the Texas energy fund to provide loans and grants to finance or incentivize the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.

  • Prop. 8 – to create the broadband infrastructure fund for the expansion of broadband and telecommunications services.

  • Prop. 9 – to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to eligible annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

  • Prop. 10 – to exempt from property taxation tangible personal property held by a medical or biomedical manufacturer.

  • Prop. 11 – with regard to conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County.

  • Prop. 12 – to abolish the office of County Treasurer in Galveston County.

  • Prop. 13 – to increase the mandatory retirement age for state justices and judges.

  • Prop. 14 – to establish the centennial parks conservation fund for the creation and improvement of state parks.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Nearly 3,000 Wichita County residents go to polls in first week of early voting