The turnout for early voting in Cameron County has been historic with triple the number of ballots cast in comparison to the 2014 midterm election results.
County commissioners on Friday voted to extend the number of locations available for voting this weekend at four of the busiest polling places in the county.
The Brownsville Public Library on Central Boulevard, the Harlingen County Annex on Wilson Road, the San Benito Community Building and the Port Isabel City Hall locations will hold early voting today and Sunday.
The polls will be open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday voters can cast ballots between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In all residents can vote at 15 locations today and six on Sunday.
Commissioners also agreed to extend voting an additional hour next week to handle the record turnout. With the exception of polling place already scheduled to close late, all others will stay open until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The courthouse location will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. next week and the polling places in Port Isabel, Los Fresnos and La Feria will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.
“The Commissioner Court responded to the historic turnout and took action to make sure everyone had a chance to vote who wanted to take advantage of early voting,” said Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza. “We are excited that at the level of participation so far and want to make sure that anyone who wants to voter early can. Voting early gives the voters choice and the time to vote at their convenience.”
During the first four days 23,260 people cast early ballots with more than 20 percent of the voting taking place at the Brownsville library.
The Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees race has twelve candidates running for three positions on the board, five for Position 1, three for Position 2 and four for Position 4. In San Benito, voters will decide on a $40 million bond that if approved would allow the school district to borrow the money to build a performing arts center, an aquatics center and an indoor multipurpose facility.
Statewide the race drawing the biggest attention is the one between incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso.
Early voting started on Oct. 22 and runs through Nov. 2. Election Day is Nov. 6.
