Early voting begins Monday for the March 1 primary election that will have both Democrats and Republicans heading to the polls to elect the candidates they want to represent them in the November General Election.
There are 18 early voting locations that will be open in Cameron County beginning on Monday through Friday, Feb. 25. They are located in Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito, Port Isabel, La Feria, Los Fresnos, Rio Hondo, Santa Rosa, Los Indios, Rancho Viejo and Santa Maria.
One of the benefits of taking advantage of early voting is that you can vote at any early voting location in the county, said Remi Garza, administrator for the Cameron County Elections and Voter Registration Office. On Election Day, you will have to go to your designated polling location.
“It’s a way for you to be able to vote that is convenient for you versus at the precinct which is convenient for the precinct,” he said, adding that because the county has been more consistent with its early voting locations, more people are aware of where they are and casting their ballots early.
Voters must present some type of photo identification at the polls. This includes a Texas drivers license, Texas ID card, Texas handgun license, Texas election identification certificate all issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a U.S. Passport, a military identification card with a photo, and a U.S. Citizenship Certificate with a photo.
And with dozens of offices up for grabs, Garza anticipates there will be a large number of people voting during early voting or on Election Day.
“We have actually seen a lot of action from our VDR’s (volunteer deputy registrars) and through the DPS office,” Garza said.
Some of the Texas offices on the ballot include that of governor, attorney general, the Texas Senate and House of Representatives, and state board of education. Some of the Cameron County offices on the ballot include county judge, county clerk, county commissioners, justices of the peace, a new district court judge and party chairs. There’s also a U.S. House of Representative seat up for grabs.
Cameron County has over 220,000 registered voters and Garza hopes for that number to increase to 224,000 by the November election.
While in past elections, voter turnout was usually high on the actual election day, Garza said he has seen a turn in this with more voters taking advantage of early voting.
“We use to be at approximately 44 to 45 percent with the early vote and now we are getting closer to 55 to 60 percent of an election turnout that would be during early vote,” Garza said.
Garza attributes the voter numbers increase to groups working together to promote issues that are important to them and the availability of information that can be found on the internet. “Exchanging information through Facebook and Twitter is helping get the word out, making people more aware.”
Past surveys asking voters why they weren’t participating indicated that people were unfamiliar as to what elections were going on, which is why they did not vote.
Garza said pandemic protocols are still being practiced that include social distancing, cleaning of the polling places, the placement of plastic barriers between the voters and the sanitization of pens used in the voting booths.
Curbside voting will be provided to those who need it. “Only people who are eligible for curbside voting will be allowed to vote out of a car,” Garza said.
For more information, contact the Cameron County Elections Office at (956) 544-0809.
