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Election Day Approaches in The Woodlands - Here’s How to Vote (and what’s on the ballot)

By: Hannah Brown
| Published 09/03/2019

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THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Mark your calendar -- election day is around the corner! No, not that one. While November 2020 might currently dominate the news, November 5, 2019 is fast approaching. As most judicial, legislative, and other representative offices in Texas hold their regular elections in even years or during the May elections, there are few candidate-specific races in the greater Woodlands area. However, a number of propositions are on the ballot, and below we’ll summarize those referenda. As election day approaches, we will provide more in-depth information about the candidates running in their respective races but as of September 3, official sample ballots have not been released by Montgomery or Harris counties.

THE WHEN: Election day is Tuesday, November 5, but if you can’t make it to a voting booth that day, don’t fret! Texas has no-excuse early voting by personal appearance and offers the option to request a ballot by mail, also with no excuse required. The first day of early voting by personal appearance is October 21, and the early voting period runs through November 1. If you plan to vote by mail, you may already request a ballot from your county clerk’s office; the last day to apply for ballot by mail is October 25 and the completed ballot must be received by the county by November 5. Please be advised that Harris and Montgomery counties both consider dates received, not postmark dates, as deadlines.

THE WHERE: During the early voting period, voters may cast their ballot at any early voting center within the county of their residence. If you live in Montgomery County, early polling locations in the Woodlands are the South County Community Center and the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library. For residents of Harris County, Lone Star College Creekside is an early polling location. On November 5, voters must vote at their designated polling place according to their assigned precinct. Here is a map of Montgomery County precincts and here is the Harris County tool for determining your polling place.

THE HOW: The deadline to register to vote for the November 5, 2019 general election is October 7. Applications to register may be obtained at your county voter registrar’s office or from any public library, government office, or high school. Or you can print the online application and send the completed form to the county voter registrar. You may also request a postage-paid registration form from the county voter registrar.

Remember to bring government-issued photo identification (such as a passport or driver’s license) with you on the day you plan to vote. If you do not possess or cannot obtain such identification, you may be able to vote after executing a Reasonable Impediment Declaration; if you just forgot your license, you can cast a provisional ballot and the vote will be counted as long as you bring an acceptable form of voter ID to the county registrar’s office within six calendar days of the day you cast your ballot. Since it can get a little confusing (and wordy!), more detailed information on voter eligibility and identification laws in Texas can be found here.

THE WHAT: Conroe and Tomball ISDs have already held elections this year, but voters in Klein ISD will see positions 6 and 7 on the ballot for the District’s Board of Trustees; Residents of Spring ISD will find positions 1, 2, and 3 for their Board of Trustee election this fall. Residents of Harris County will have the opportunity to vote in elections for three Community College Board seats.

As for The Woodlands, Township residents will vote in races for positions 5, 6, and 7 on the Township Board of Directors. Each office carries a two-year term and all three positions are elected at large by voters in The Woodlands Township in both Montgomery and Harris County.

So what else is on the ballot? A number of statewide ballot measures! Summaries of the ballot measures can be found below.

Texas Proposition 1: Allowed to Serve as Multiple Municipal Judges Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow persons to hold more than one office as an elected or appointed municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thereby allowing a person to hold more than one office as an appointed, but not an elected, municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time.

Texas Proposition 2: Water Development Board Bonds Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue bonds on a continuing basis, in a total amount not to exceed $200 million in total principal at any time, for water supply, sewer service, and drainage projects in areas defined as economically distressed.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thus discontinuing bond funding for the Texas Water Development Board's economically distressed areas program.

Texas Proposition 3: Temporary Property Tax Exemption for Disaster Areas Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow political subdivisions to provide temporary property tax exemptions in areas that the governor declared as disaster areas.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thus continuing to allow property reappraisals following disasters but not tax exemptions.
Texas Proposition 4: Prohibit State Income Tax on Individuals Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to prohibit the state from levying an income tax on individuals.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thus continuing to allow the state to enact a tax on individuals in the future through a statewide referendum.

Texas Proposition 5: Sales Tax on Sporting Goods Dedicated to Parks, Wildlife, and Historical Agencies Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this constitutional amendment to dedicate revenue from the sales tax on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission.

A 'no' vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus allowing the legislature to decide how much of the revenue from the sales tax on sporting goods is allocated to the state Parks and Wildlife
Department and the state Historical Commission.

Texas Proposition 6: Cancer Prevention and Research Institute Bonds Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow the legislature to increase the maximum amount of bonds for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from $3 billion to $6 billion.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thereby keeping the maximum amount of bonds for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas at $3 billion.

Texas Proposition 7: Increase Distributions to School Fund Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow the General Land Office and State Board of Education to each transfer $600 million from the Permanent School Fund's lands and properties proceeds to the Available School Fund each year.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thereby keeping the amount of revenue that the General Land Office is permitted to transfer from the Permanent School Fund's lands and properties proceeds to the Available School Fund at $300 million per year and excluding the State Board of Education from making transfers from the fund's lands and properties proceeds.

Texas Proposition 8: Flood Infrastructure Fund Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this constitutional amendment to create the flood infrastructure fund, which the Texas Water Development Board would use to provide financing for flood drainage, mitigation, and control projects.

A 'no' vote opposes this constitutional amendment to create the flood infrastructure fund.

Texas Proposition 9: Precious Metals in Depositories Exempt from Property Tax Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow the legislature to exempt precious metals held in precious metal depositories from property taxation.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment, thereby continuing to permit taxation of precious metals held in precious metal depositories as property.

Texas Proposition 10: Transfer of Care of Law Enforcement Animals Amendment

A 'yes' vote supports this amendment to allow for the transfer of a law enforcement animal, such as a dog or horse, to the animal's handler or another qualified caretaker if the transfer is in the animal's best interest.

A 'no' vote opposes this amendment to allow for the transfer of a law enforcement animal, such as a dog or horse, to the animal's handler or another qualified caretaker if the transfer is in the animal's best interest.

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