Yet Another Upcoming Election

by Laura Bray
for the “Progressive Views” column, Boerne Star, May 6, 2022

Tomorrow is your final chance to vote in the General and Special Election for Boerne ISD (BISD) candidates, BISD school board Place 4, and two Texas Constitutional Amendments. There are eight voting locations in Kendall County, plus one at Van Raub Elementary only for Bexar and Comal residents of BISD. For full details, visit the Kendall County Elections website. See my column from April 8 for more details.

But wait….there’s ONE more election coming right up–the 2022 Primary Runoff on Tuesday, May 24. This election closes out the Primary election held back on March 1, where both parties chose candidates for the mid-term November election. Democrats have five races on the runoff ballot. Democrats will choose candidates for US Congress District 21; lieutenant governor; attorney general; land commissioner; and comptroller. You can find more about all the Democratic candidates on our website.

If you voted in the Democratic Primary on March 1, you are eligible to vote in the Democratic Primary Runoff election. Also, if you did not vote in the March 1 Primary, you may vote in either Party’s runoff.

Early voting runs from Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20. Note that this is a much shorter early voting period than a general election. Vote early at the Kendall County Courthouse Annex (221 Fawn Valley Dr., Boerne). On Election Day, Kendall County voters can vote at any one of eight polling locations. To find a list, visit the Kendall County Elections website,  click on the “May 24th, 2022 Primary Runoff Election” link at the left under “Upcoming Elections,” then scroll down to “Election Day Vote Centers.”

Vote by mail voters: If your application was approved for the March 1 primary, that application lasts for the entire year. You should receive your ballot some time this month. If you are a new voter and want to apply to vote by mail, that applications must be received (not postmarked) at the Kendall County Elections office (KCEO) by Friday, May 13. Please make sure to follow all instructions to complete your application, and call KCEO at 830-331-8701 if you have any questions, to reduce the risk of your application being rejected. 

A generic sample ballot is available on the KCEO website. (Note that ballots for both parties appear on the sample ballot. When you actually vote, your voting screen will show only the candidates from your party of choice.) You may print and mark a sample ballot and bring it into the polling location with you; you may not use your cell phone while voting.

The primary runoff will be the third election this year. The Kendall County Democratic Party extends its heartiest thanks to the Kendall County Elections Office, headed by Elections Administrator Staci Decker, and her staff, for an outstanding job in executing our local elections. Kendall County has one of the best Elections Offices in the state. Staci and her staff are consummate professionals with a high attention to detail and a fierce commitment to running free and fair elections for all. We truly appreciate their efforts. Thanks also to the many election workers it takes to staff an election at all the polling places.

According to the Elections Division of the Texas Secretary of State (TxSoS), “There is no evidence that any voting or voter registration systems in Texas were compromised before the 2016 election or in any subsequent elections.” They also state, “No voting system is ever connected to the internet at any point—either when votes are being cast or when they are being counted. Before and after use each day, all voting systems are sealed with locks and with seals with unique serial numbers, and all election workers must follow proper chain of custody procedures during the election, including a careful tracking of the serial numbers used to seal the machines at the end of each period of voting.” So you can be confident that the vote you cast will be secured, counted accurately, and reported accurately to the Elections Division.

After the May 24 Primary Runoff, we can all take a voting breather until the mid-term election in November.

For more information on voting/elections or how to get involved, call our office at 830-331-1243 or visit www.kcdems.us

Laura Bray is Chair of the Kendall County Democratic Party.