Voters were lined up at voting sites across Orange County Monday as early voting for the November 6 general election began. County Elections Administrator Tina Barrow said the voting levels were on par with the 2016 presidential election. Usually, voting decreases in years when Texans vote for governor, she said.
On the first day of early voting in the 2016 presidential year, the county had 2,527 people vote in person. In 2014, a gubernatorial year, the county had 867 votes the first day.
The polls closed at 5 p.m. Monday after opening at 8 a.m.
The early voting sites are the Orange Public Library, Mauriceville Volunteer Fire Department, Bridge City Public Works Building, and the Raymond Gould Community Center in Vidor.
Extended hours will be this Tuesday, and next Tuesday, with early voting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The last day is Friday November 2.
Local contested races are for Precinct 1 justice of the peace and Precinct 2 county commissioner. Only people who live in the individual precincts vote for the races.
Herschel Stagner, who is currently the Precinct 1 justice of the peace after being appointed by county commissioners, is the Republican nominee for the position. He is facing Democrat Gail Shaw Barnett.
In the Precinct 2 county commissioner race, Theresa Adams Beauchamp beat the incumbent to be the Republican on the ballot. Democrat Deborah Mitchell is running against her.
Also, the West Orange-Cove CISD is having a bond election for $25.75 million. Voters in the district must cast an early ballot at the Orange Public Library. A total of 624 either voted or mailed in their ballot Monday.
In all other elections, registered Orange County voters may go to any of the four early voting sites. They must have an accepted photo identification.
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