Progressive Views: My “Farewell” As Party Chair
Laura Bray, outgoing KCDP chair, writes about the accomplishments of her tenure and thanks all of the people who helped her over 5+ years. She names the new chair, Suanne Pyle.
Laura Bray, outgoing KCDP chair, writes about the accomplishments of her tenure and thanks all of the people who helped her over 5+ years. She names the new chair, Suanne Pyle.
Early voting begins on Tuesday and runs through February 27. Early voting is held at the KCEO office on Fawn Valley. (Unfortunately, due to changes passed by the Texas Legislature, Comfort will not have an early voting location.) Election Day is Tuesday, March 3. Kendall County will have eleven polling locations, and you can vote at any one of them.
Take a look at the Kendall County, Texas website to learn more about your county government, its structure, and the people who manage it. While all county departments are important, two critical, and often unheralded, components of county government are the County Auditor and Election Administrator. These are appointed positions versus the 18 elected positions in county government.
Texas ranks 46th in “ease of voting,” according to a 2022 study in the “Election Law Journal.” The study states, “voting still is not easy in Texas [as compared to 2020]. Implement these 4 steps to make voting easier in Texas: implement online voter registration, allow anyone to cast an absentee ballot, simplify the process for a mail-in ballot, and broaden the range of acceptable photo IDs.
Legislation proposed that is not explicitly covered by the Texas Constitution must be approved by 2/3 majority in each house and be offered to the citizens for a vote. If a majority of citizens voting in the November election approve the amendment it becomes part of the constitution. Future changes would require another constitutional amendment. 17 have been certified for the ballot. The 17 propositions on this year’s ballot cover taxes and tax exemptions, dedicated funds, judiciary, public safety, water infrastructure, and personal rights. Your vote is important! Prepare and make your vote count.
The Texas Legislature is about a month into its every-other-year session, and they are considering quite a few awful bills, including school vouchers, but also an elimination to countywide voting and the SAVE act which requires all Americans to provide a birth certificate, passport, or one of a few other citizenship documents every time they register or re-register to vote.
Early voting numbers are well over 50% at press time. Your last chance to vote in this critical election for the national contest and the 16 down-ballot races is November 5. If you want freedom, the choice is clear, the Democratic candidates.
Many U.S. Republican presidents in recent history have handed struggling economies to incoming Democratic presidents. Since the end of WWII, the U.S. economy has been better under Democratic leaders. Under Republican leaders, the rich have gotten richer and the poor, poorer. It's time to vote for Harris and choose a president worthy of the position whose policies will reverse income inequality and push high-wage jobs and sustainable manufacturing.
The last day to register to vote is October 7. If you need to register to vote go to the Kendall County Elections Office on Fawn Valley. Texas does not allow same-day voter registration or online voter registration. Check the Kendall County Elections Office website for early and day of voting locations and times, and the Kendall County Democratic Party website for information about top-line and down-ballot races. And get out and VOTE!
Laura Bray, a Texas delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention, describes the program and energy of the convention held in August in Chicago. Democrats need only flip 12 seats in the Texas House in November, so get out and vote.