Time to start early voting in the Nov. 6 election

Secretary of State Hope Andrade announced Friday that a record 13,646,226 Texans are registered to vote in the Nov. 6 election. That figure is up by more than 71,000 from the previous record, just before the November 2008 general election.

For the presidential race four years ago, almost 60 percent of those who were registered turned out to vote. The total in that race was 8,077,795 votes, according to figures from Andrade's office.

Comparable turnout for this year's presidential vote would bring 8,119,504 to the polls.

The point is not just to throw out big numbers. Turnout this year may not be as great as it was four years ago.

It may fall back to the norm of the previous three presidential contests, around 54 percent.

Or it could surge to the 72.9 percent of the 1992 Bill Clinton-George Bush race.

The point is, why not a higher turnout figure rather than a lower one? All it takes is a determination to take part in this most important part of the democratic process.

Early voting starts today at locations across Tarrant County. The list of sites and schedule of voting times is available at the Tarrant County Elections Office.

For early voting, all of the sites are open to any voter.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board has studied the most hotly contested races on the ballot, talked with candidates and published editorials during the past three weeks stating the board's recommendations and reasoning. It's not meant to be a "vote this way" list. Along with guest columns and letters to the editor, it's a conversation with our readers.

Our readers make up their own minds how to vote. Most are passionate about that, which makes us happy.

The Editorial Board recommendations are:

President -- Mitt Romney

U.S. Senate -- Paul Sadler

U.S. Rep. District 6 -- Joe Barton

U.S. Rep. District 12 -- Kay Granger

U.S. Rep. District 24 -- Kenny Marchant

U.S. Rep. District 25 -- Roger Williams

U.S. Rep. District 26 -- Michael Burgess

U.S. Rep. District 33 -- Marc Veasey

Railroad Commission -- Christi Craddick

Texas Supreme Court Place 6 -- Nathan Hecht

Presiding Judge, Ct. of Crim. App.-- Keith Hampton

State Bd. of Ed. District 13 -- Mavis Best Knight

Texas Senate District 9 -- Kelly Hancock

Texas Senate District 10 -- Wendy Davis

Texas Senate District 22 -- Brian Birdwell

State Rep. District 93 -- Shane Hardin

State Rep. District 95 -- Nichole Collier

State Rep. District 97 -- Craig Goldman

State Rep. District 99 -- Charlie Geren

Tarrant Sheriff -- Dee Anderson

Tarrant Commiss. Pct. 3 -- Gary Fickes

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