(Editor's Note: This post was updated at 1:26 p.m. on Friday, May 6)
By Megan Wehring
HAYS COUNTY — Saturday is the last chance for voters to cast their ballot for the May 7 election. Here's what you should know before heading to the polls.
What’s on the ballot?
For the state’s special election, voters will decide on two propositions.
Prop 1 would reduce the amount of taxes that elderly and disabled residents would pay to support public education starting next year — this comes after the legislature passed a property tax reduction in 2019 that didn’t apply to those two groups, since their rates were frozen.
Prop 2 would increase the amount that homeowners can subtract from the value of their home from $25,000 to $40,000.
City of Hays
For the small city of Hays, three positions are on the ballot. Running for office are Billy Maphies and Lydia Bryan-Valdez (incumbent, Mayor Pro Tem) for Mayor; Glennell Strawn and Thomas Lemmon for City Council Place 2; and Tony S. Valdez and Richard Gibbens (incumbent) for City Council Place 3.
More information about the city of Hays candidates can be found here.
Dripping Springs ISD
Four candidates are running for two positions on the DSISD Board of Trustees — unlike some districts, DSISD trustees do not represent “places.” Joanna Day, Olivia Barnard, Thaddeus Fortenberry and Tricia Quintero are on the ballot. Voters are asked to select “two, one or none.”
Hays CISD
For the HCISD Board election, candidates Byron Severance and Amy Grant are running for District 4, while Bear Heiser and Esperanza Orozco are running for the District 5 seat.
As a separate line item, the district is also holding a bond election. The proposition will issue $115,649,800 school building bonds for the design, construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, improvement and equipment of school buildings in the district. This will also purchase new school buses and levy/impose taxes sufficient to pay the “principal or and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements.”
More information about the Hays CISD candidates can be found here.
Voting times & polling places
Early voting will continue through Tuesday, May 3.
Early Voting Times (main voting center is the Hays County Government Center)
- Monday, April 25 — Friday, April 29 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Saturday, April 30 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
- Monday, May 2 & Tuesday, May 3 (7 a.m to 7 p.m. at main early voting site)
- Monday, May 2 & Tuesday, May 3 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at all other locations)
Election Day is on Saturday, May 7 and voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, please visit https://hayscountytx.com/departments/elections/.
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