Friday is the last day to vote early in primary runoff, Fort Worth half-cent sales tax
Friday is the last day to vote early in the presidential primary runoff and Fort Worth’s election to renew a half-cent sales tax for police.
More than 50,000 Tarrant voters have cast early ballots in these elections, and more than 5,500 of those votes were just on Fort Worth’s ballot.
That’s up from the 24,117 who voted early by mail and in person for the May 24, 2016, runoff.
“It shows that some people who don’t want to vote in a partisan election are still voting in that election,” said Heider Garcia, the county’s elections administrator.
Polls will be open Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
After that, the last chance to vote in the election will be Tuesday.
The busiest polling sites for early voters have been the Southwest Sub-Courthouse; JPS Health Center, Viola M. Pitts/Como; the Mansfield Sub-Courthouse; the city of Arlington’s South Service Center; the Villages of Woodland Springs Amenity Center; and the Handley-Meadowbrook Community Center.
Garcia urges voters to be prepared when they go vote by reviewing sample ballots at tarrantcounty.com/elections.
Anyone heading to polls in Tarrant County is asked to wear a mask. If you show up without a mask, and want one, each polling site should have a limited number of masks to share with voters.
“Know what you are voting on,” Garcia said. “We want a quick experience, with less exposure time.
“The lower the wait time, the smaller the risk.”
Voting tips
If you voted in either primary, you are eligible to vote in that party’s runoff. Registered voters who didn’t vote in the primary can vote in either party’s runoff. You also can request a ballot just for the city of Fort Worth’s election without voting in either primary.
Make sure you bring a photo ID to the polls. The seven state-approved photo IDs: Texas driver’s license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal identification card, Texas license to carry a handgun, U.S. military ID card with photo, U.S. citizenship certificate with photo, and U.S. passport.
Voters who don’t have one of those forms of ID, and can’t reasonably obtain one, may fill out a Reasonable Impediment form and show a different form of ID, which will still let them cast a ballot.
To vote in Texas, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 17 years and 10 months old (and 18 by Election Day), mentally sound and not a convicted felon unless the sentence has been completed, including parole or probation
ON THE BALLOT
Here’s what is on the ballot in Tarrant County:
▪ Democrats will choose between Mary “MJ” Hegar and Royce West for U.S. Senate; Kim Olson and Candace Valenzuela for U.S. Rep. District 24; Roberto R. “Beto” Alonzo and Chrysta Castañeda for railroad commissioner; and John Wright and Pedro “Pete” Munoz for County Constable Precinct 5.
▪ Republicans will choose between Elizabeth Beach and Brian Walker for the 2nd Court of Appeals District Place 7 and Jonathan Grummer and John Brieger for Precinct Chair 3990.
▪ Fort Worth residents will vote whether to continue a half-cent sales tax for the Crime Control and Prevention District for 10 years.
Early voting locations can be found at tarrantcounty.com/elections.
For information about voting, call the Tarrant County Elections Center at 817-831-8683 or visit VoteTexas.gov.
