Voters start heading to the polls Monday to cast early ballots for the Nov. 5 election, which will determine the fate of more than $12 million in bonds to pay for capital improvements for the Hunt Memorial Hospital District (HMHD).
Voters in Josephine will be deciding whether to approve a new sales tax to be used for economic development. Hunt County voters served by the Cumby Independent School District will be making choices as to who gets to sit on the district’s board of trustees and voters across the county will also be participating in a statewide election with nine proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
Voters participating in the upcoming election also need to make sure and have legal identification with them when casting ballots.
Early voting is scheduled from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays at the Hunt County Voter Administration Office, 2217 Washington Street in downtown Greenville, at Commerce City Hall and at the Quinlan City Council chambers, starting Monday and continuing through Nov. 1.
Extended early voting hours, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., are scheduled Tuesday and Thursday of next week in the Voter Administration Office.
— The hospital district has a special election scheduled Nov. 5, with one item on the ballot, seeking voter approval of $12.3 million in bonds to pay for three major projects.
The third flood of the Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville would be completely renovated at a cost of $2.7 million. Commerce would receive a new $5 million outpatient facility while a $4.5 million facility wold be added to the current medical pavilion in Quinlan. If the bond is passed, it will be paid over a 20 year period and will increase the HMHD tax rate by .0181 cents.
— The City of Josephine is conducting a special election November 5 to decide whether to adopt an additional sales and use tax of one-half of one percent, to be used for any lawful economic development purpose by a Type B Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Type A EDCs are typically created to fund industrial development projects, such as business infrastructure, manufacturing and research and development. Type B EDCs can fund all projects eligible for Type A, as well as parks, museums, sports facilities and affordable housing. However, Type B EDCs are subject to more administrative restrictions. While most of Josephine, just north of Royse City, lies within Collin County, a small portion of the city crosses into western Hunt County. Therefore some of the city’s residents registered to vote in Hunt County Precinct 216 will be eligible to vote in the election.
— The Cumby Independent School District has a trustee election, to fill three seats on the school board for three-year terms. On the ballot are Dawn Gray, Carol Rose Allen, Jason Hudson, Joe Salinas, Jody Jarvis and Tony Aguilar.
— Among the proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, Proposition 9, if approved by voters would expand the types of sanctions that may be assessed against a judge or justice following a formal proceeding instituted by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Proposition 6, if approved, would provide for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas, which would assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan.
The following is a list of acceptable forms of photo identification:
— Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
— Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
— Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
— Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
— United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
— United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
— United States passport
With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 60 days before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.
Anyone needing additional information about early voting or the upcoming election can contact the Voter Administration Office at 903-454-5467.