Early voting starts Oct. 24
Early voting runs from Monday, Oct. 24, to Friday, Nov. 4. Here are the early voting locations for Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties:
Jefferson County
Beaumont: Rogers Park Community Center, 6540 Gladys; Ray Chesson Office Building, 19217 FM 365; Courthouse, 1085 Pearl St.; John Paul Davis Community Center, 3580 Lucas Dr.; and Theodore Johns Library, 4255 Fannett Rd.
China: Pct. 1 Service Center, 20205 W. U.S. 90;
Port Neches: Hebert Library, 2025 Merriman St.
Nederland: Marion and Ed Hughes Public Library, 2712 Nederland Ave.
Groves: Groves Activity Building, 6150 39th St.
Port Arthur: Jefferson County Sub-Courthouse, 525 Lakeshore Dr. and Port Arthur Library, 4615 9th Ave.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 –29; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Oct. 31– Nov. 4; and 12–6 p.m. Oct. 30.
Orange County
Orange: Orange Public Library, 229 N. 5th St.; Orange County Airport, 2640 Highway 87 South; Mauriceville Community Center, 7441 Cohenour Rd.
Vidor: Raymond Gould Community Center, 385 Claiborne
Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24-28; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Oct. 31– Nov. 4; and 1-7 p.m. Oct. 29.
Hardin County
In-Person: Hardin County Courthouse, 300 W.
Monroe, Kountze, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Weekend (Oct. 29-30): Hardin County Courthouse, 300 W. Monroe, Kountze, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Branch (Nov. 1-2): Silsbee, Y.Y.A.F.A. Center, 170 West FM 418; Lumberton, City Hall, 836 North Main; Sour Lake, Community Center, 250
South Ann St.
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Candidates are hoping more people show up at the polls as Southeast Texas residents get another chance to have their voices heard.
The Nov. 8 General Election features an array of state, federal, county, city, school and other races.
In the March primaries, nearly 20% of Jefferson County registered voters cast ballots, compared to about 24% in Hardin County and 21% in Orange County.
In Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties, most of the elected county officials won their primary and are unopposed in next month’s election. Key state races this election are for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agricultural commissioner and railroad commissioner could off-set the lower turnout in March.
Jefferson County
With multiple primary winners unopposed in the general election, voters have only five county races to decide, along with state and federal races.
Republican County Judge Jeff Branick is seeking his fourth term as he faces Democratic challenger Carolyn L. Guidry.
Incumbent Charlie Hallmark (D) and Tim Funchess (R) are seeking the County Treasurer’s post, while Roxanne Acosta- Hellberg (R) and Jes Prince (D) are running for the County Clerk’s position.
Cary Erickson (R) and Julia Rodriguez (D) are the challengers for the Pct. 2 Commissioner’s spot, while Joseph L. Guillory (D) and Kyrin Baker (R) battle for Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace, with a write-in candidate also currently campaigning.
In the race for 317th Judicial District judge, Gordan Friesz (R) and Chelsie Ramos (D) hope to fill the seat previously held by Judge Larry Thorne.
The Beaumont Municipal Management District No. 1 bond election and Operation and Maintenance Tax elections include:
Proposition A is the issuance of $298.896 million bonds for water, sanitary sewer and drainage and storm sewer systems, and the levy of taxes, without limit as to rate or amount, sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds.
Proposition B is the issuance of $149.448 million bonds for refunding water, sanitary sewer, and drainage and storm sewer system bonds.
Proposition C is issuance of $365.299 million bonds for roads and the levy of taxes.
There are city elections in Bevil Oaks and Groves. In Bevil Oaks, incumbent Martha Vautrot, Phillip C. Neichoy and Gary Wilson are running for the Ward No. 1 council seat, while incumbent Cheri Mitchell and Jim Wright are vying for Ward No. 3.
In Groves, only one of the four races has an opponent. Ward 4 Councilwoman Rhonda Dugas is being challenged by Kyle Hollier. Incumbent Chris Boone is unopposed for another term as mayor, as is incumbent Ward 2 Councilman Paul Oliver and incumbent City Marshal Norman Reynolds Jr.
There are a pair of congressional races for Jefferson County voters. In the 14th Congressional District, incumbent Randy Weber (R) faces Mikal Williams (D), while in the 36th District, incumbent Brian Babin (R) is challenged by Jon Haire (D) on both Jefferson County and Hardin County ballots.
There will be a new District 22 state representative after State Rep. Joe Deshotel announced last year he was retiring. Seeking his post are Jacorion Randle (R) and Christian “Manuel” Hayes (D).
In all three counties, voters will decide the District 3 State Senate seat between incumbent Republican Robert Nichols, Democrat Steve Russell and Libertarian Desarae Lindsey.
Jefferson County voters will also decide to keep incumbent State Senator Brandon Creighton (R) in the District 4 post or elect challenger Misty Bishop (D).
Orange County
There are no county races, as all of the Republican primary winners ran unopposed in the general election.
Voters in Orange County will head to the polls to decide on a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) for Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD and At-Large Commissioner races for all four Orange County Emergency Services Districts (ESD).
The VATRE proposition is to ratifying the ad valorem Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD tax rate of $1.3425 for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 10.8% in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $1,152,154.
In the four ESD elections for commissioners, voters can vote for none or up to five candidates.
In ESD No. 1, seven candidates are seeking the At-Large seat. They are Jerry E. Aldridge, Gene Domec, Nelda Nash, Kenneth Luce, Larry C. Williams III, Wyatt Boyett and John H. Houseman.
Six people seeking the At-Large post in ESD No. 2. Candidates are Glen Childers Jr., Chris Landry, Wes Arnold, Aaron McNeil, Carroll LeBlanc and Scott Barnes.
ESD No. 3 At-Large candidates are Wayne LaCombe, Bobby Smith, Wesley Journeay, Corina Alonso, Cammie Manshack Vincent and Cathy Drake.
The five candidate seeking the At-Large seat in ESD No. 4 are Anthony Shue, Robert H. Hymes, Dan Brack, David Covey and David Jones.
Hardin County
There aren’t not many local races as all of the elected Republican county officials are unopposed in the general election. County Judge Wayne McDaniel, District Clerk Dana Hogg, County Clerk Connie Beckon, County Treasurer Deborah McWilliams, Pct. 2 Commissioner Chris Kirkendall and Pct. 4 Commissioner Ernie Koch were unopposed, along with all six justices of the peace.
But residents in Hardin County Emergency Services District No. 1 are asked to approve a 2% tax increase. Proposition A asks voters to adopt a local Sales and Use Tax at the rate of 2%, excluding any area of the district where a local Sale and Use Tax is already imposed at a rate of 2%.
Also, there are school board races in Kountze and West Hardin school districts. In Kountze ISD, Kountze Police Chief Brent Slaughter and James “Jim’ McNeely are seeking the Trustee Place 2 seat now held by Susie Wilson.
In West Hardin CISD, R.C. “Rusty” Wells and Dave Burns are running for the West Hardin CISD trustee post.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY
County Judge:
Jeff Branick (R)
Carolyn L. Guidry (D)
County Treasurer:
Tim Funchess (R)
Charlie Hallmark (D)
County Clerk:
Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg (R)
Jes Prince (D)
Pct. 2 Commissioner:
Cary Erickson (R)
Julia Rodriguez (D)
Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace:
Kyrin Baker (R)
Joseph L. Guillory (D)
CITY OF BEVIL OAKS
Council Ward No. 1:
Martha Vautrot
Phillip C. Neichoy
Gary Wilson
Council Ward No. 3:
Cheri Mitchell
Jim Wright
CITY OF GROVES
Council Ward 4:
Rhonda Dugas
Kyle Hollier
ORANGE COUNTY
(Vote for none, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5)
Commissioner ESD No. 1
(At-Large):
Jerry E. Aldridge
Gene Domec
Nelda Nash
Kenneth Luce
Larry C. Williams III
Wyatt Boyett
John H. Houseman
Commissioner ESD No. 2
(At-Large):
Glen Childers Jr.
Chris Landry
Wes Arnold
Aaron McNeil
Carroll LeBlanc
Scott Barnes
Commissioner ESD No. 3
(At-Large):
Wayne LaCombe
Bobby Smith
Wesley Journeay
Corina Alonso
Cammie Manshack Vincent
Cathy Drake
Commissioner ESD No. 4
(At-Large):
Anthony Shue
Robert H. Hymes
Dan Brack
David Covey
David Jones
HARDIN COUNTY
Kountze ISD Trustee, Place 2:
James “Jim’ McNeely
Brent Slaughter
West Hardin CISD Trustee,
Place 2:
R.C. “Rusty” Wells
Dave Burns
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