Voting calendar set, deadlines draw near

There are a host of state, federal, county and other elections next month and the deadline to register to vote is drawing near. According to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, the final day to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is Tuesday, Oct. 11.

The Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector’s website states voter registration applications are also available in their office, area libraries, county precinct offices, the County Clerk’s office, as well as other public places across the county and online.

For more information, call (409) 835-VOTE (8683) or go online to www.jeffcotax.com/voter-info/.

The Jefferson County Courthouse is located at 1149 Pearl St., Beaumont. Sub-Courthouses are at 525 Lakeshore Dr., Port Arthur and 4605 Jerry Ware Dr., Beaumont.

In Hardin County, voters can register in person at the Hardin County Courthouse, 300 West Monroe St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (409) 246-5180 or (409) 246-5185.

Orange County residents can register in person at 206 Border St., Orange, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www.co.orange.tx.us.

To register to vote, a person is required to be: a citizen of the United States; a resident of the county of registration; at least 18 on election Day; fully discharged of felony punishment, including any incarceration, parole or supervision period; and not been declared mentally incompetent by final judgment of a court of law.

Early voting

Early voting runs from Monday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Nov. 4.

In Jefferson County, early voting will take place at five locations in 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.

Other locations are Pct. 1 Service Center, 20205 W. U.S. 90, China; Hebert Library, 2025 Merriman St., Port Neches; Marion and Ed Hughes Public Library, 2712 Nederland Ave., Nederland; Groves Activity Building, 6150 39th St., Groves; and Jefferson County Sub-Courthouse, 525 Lakeshore Dr. and Port Arthur Library, 4615 9th Ave., both in Port Arthur.

Hours are 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 residents can cast early ballots at four locations, They are the Orange Public Library, 229 N. 5th St.; Mauriceville Community Center, 7441 Cohenour Rd., Orange; Orange County Airport, 2640 Highway 87 South, Orange; and Raymond Gould Community Center, 385 Claiborne, Vidor.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 24-28; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 and Oct. 31– Nov. 4; and 1-7 p.m. Oct. 30.

In-person early voting in Hardin County is at the Hardin County Courthouse on Oct. 24 – Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Branch early voting in person will be conducted on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations: Y.Y.A.F.A. Center, 170 West FM 418, Silsbee; Lumberton City Hall, 836 North Main, Lumberton; and Sour Lake Community Center, 250 South Ann St.

Weekend voting is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 and 30 at the courthouse.

For more information, visit co.hardin.tx.us. or call (409) 246-5185.

Mail-in ballots

The deadline to receive an application for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 28. Applications can be accessed at the Jefferson and Orange County websites.

Jefferson County voters can apply for a mail-in ballot by one of four methods: in person at the courthouse, mail, fax or email.

To qualify to vote by mail, a registered voter must be age 65 or older, disabled, expected to give birth within three weeks before or after election day, expected absence from the county (active military duty or residing overseas), and confined in jail, but otherwise eligible to vote.

Applications in Orange County can also be dropped off at the Election Office, 106 Border St., in Orange.

Hardin County voters can call the County Clerk’s Office at (409) 246-5185 to have a mail-in ballot sent to them or pick up the mail-in ballot at the courthouse, 300 W. Monroe St., in Kountze.

Dannie Oliveaux is the Hardin County Editor of The Examiner. He can be reached at (409) 832-1400, Ext. 227, or dannieoliveaux@theexaminer.com.