Burnet County early voting explodes
By Alexandria Randolph and Glynis Crawford Smith
Highland Lakes Newspapers
A whopping 22 percent of the 29,556 registered voting population in Burnet County had cast an early vote as of Friday morning, Oct. 28.
“Voting numbers in Burnet County are exploding like everywhere else in the state,” said Burnet County Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson on Thursday afternoon. “Each day we have voted more than any day in past years' elections.”
Turn out at the polls on the first day of voting broke records from previous presidential election years.
“A total of 1,197 voters cast their ballot on Monday, roughly four percent of registered voters in the county.
“It was biggest early voting day that I know of for Burnet County,” he said. “We beat 2008 and 2012 – all those numbers.”
By Tuesday the number of Burnet County early voters had grown by 1,306 to 2,117. The third day's vote was 1,268 and Thursday was set to exceed 1,262.
“As of this minute, we have had 5,035 in-person early voters,” Ferguson said at 5:05 p.m. Thursday, with numbers still rolling in from people in line at the Burnet County Courthouse Annex in Marble Falls. “Another 1,250 have arrived by mail.”
Friday morning the in-person figure was 5,281, with 1,362 mail-ins.
Ferguson said the line of voters on Monday at the Burnet County Courthouse stretched from one end of the building to the other and the procession has slowed little.
“We had to send an extra person to the Marble Falls annex so that those volunteers could eat their lunch,” he said. “You can only move people so fast. They were lined up when we unlocked the door.
“Typically the last two days of early voting are the heaviest days and Saturday is slow, but I don't know that I'd wait this year.”
Ferguson said he thinks the high totals may be due to people wanting to cast their ballots before the mad rush on Election Day, Nov. 8.
Early voting will continue through Friday, Nov. 4. Voters who have application in by today, Friday, Oct. 28, for a ballot by mail must see they are received in the Burnet voter office by 7 p.m. Nov. 8.
To vote early by mail, Texans must fit one of four categories. They must be 65 years of age or older, away from their county of registration on Election Day and during the period for early voting, be disabled, or be confined to jail but otherwise eligible to vote.
Formal applications for a ballot by mail can be downloaded and sent to county early voting clerks by fax or email. All applications must be received (not postmarked) by Oct. 28. Voters who have applied but have not received their ballot should call their county election’s office and speak to the early voting clerk to check the status
Voter information can be found online at www.VoteTexas.gov or by calling 1-800-252-VOTE.
The polls will be open for early voting at Burnet County Courthouse and Marble Falls Courthouse Annex on Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and will be open longer, 12 hours a day from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., during the second week of early voting.
No fraud found
Ferguson has fielded a few frantic calls about voting.
“When people boo-booed on their own ballot, they thought the machine did it,” he said. “In every single case, it was something they did . Luckily, in every case they asked for help, I think.”
The most common error is not new to this election, Ferguson explained. It pertains primarily to those voting a straight ticket.
“When a person votes a straight ticket, the machine will instantly mark the whole ballot and jump back to the presidential ballot,” he said. “People want to or think they have to click once more. But the second time it unchecks the vote.
“The machine gives a warning. It says you have just unselected a straight party vote but voters are confused when they see they haven't voted for President on the summary screen.”
“Then the rumors fly,” said Ferguson with a patient sigh. “Some people who had no trouble want to hear about the story they heard.”
The Burnet County Elections Office, 512-715-5288, is located in the records building behind the Burnet County Courthouse North Annex, 1701 East Polk Street, in Burnet. It is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The email address is elections@burnetcountytexas.org and complete voter information can be found on the “Elections” page under the “Departments” tabl of the Burnet County website, www.BurnetCountyTexas.org.
