Travis County Commissioners Court
August 22, 2006
Item 34
34 is is to consider and take appropriate action on an order dition nating main early voting, temporary early voting and mobile early voting polling places for the November 7, 2006 joint general and special leksz. Elections. Is.
>> good morning, judge and Commissioners. We're from the Travis County clerk's office and we're here to seek your approval on the early voting, mobile, and election day polling locations and to answer any questions that you may have.
>> the changes are the same sheet, only the hours for the salvation army are different and so they have been listed. That's the only change.
>> what's the change?
>> salvation army has separate special hours versus the normal 7:00 a.m. To 7:00 p.m. And we wanted to make sure that was reflect understand this voting -- reflected in this voting session.
>> one thing I wanted to make sure of is that unfortunately with the closing down of albertson's some of our long-standing locations with regard to albertson's are going to be changed. I wanted to make sure that was laid out there and certainly central is always dealing with the thing that are we in central market or out of central market? And unfortunately at this time we are kicked out of the randall's because of what's happened on the interior of that building, so once again we have to move central around. And to you the city of Austin and the library because we have used that with great success. My question, and I'm fully appreciative of the fact that it's been messy with this whole thing, with the congressional lines changing, but I'm really perplexed by how the distribution occurred related to permanent and mobile locations for our state legislative races foond the congressional stuff. I get that congressional we have to do the best we can.
>> most of that was done before --
>> but now the district 25, which is congressman doggett's district is now a majority districts, for something that was not a majority district we didn't have a majority of the voting locations in district 25. What I found most disturbing what going on in the state legislative races that the two hottest tickets in town in terms of where there are contested races, where people are going to be we hope voting early, district 47 and district 50, have very few permanent and especially mobile locations. I can always understand the overlay that the central districts get it simply because they're overlaying on a whole lot of other things going on, but for district 50 to only have four locations compared to 18 and 12 and 11 and 15, four just seemed to me to be like, whoa. And that is going to be a very contested race and hopefully we have people coming out to the polls on district 50. What happened?
>> mostly we loogd at where we could go. A lot of the retail locations are no longer interested in allowing elections, which has forced us to real the mobile system, the libraries, whatever existing facility is there. We had changes with the albertson's closing, we had changes with losing a randall's from a year ago. We lost h.e.b. South congress, which was a big location. So we've dealt a lot with the changes and what lost and what existing. Ultimately our goal is to have consistent polling ing location where's people know to go vote versus changing them for the specific race on the ballot. Typically that's where our mobile will try and reflect, especially more so maybe in a may election. November we try and hit the central office buildings, hospitals, senior activity centers, places that are interested in having us and hosting us, to conduct the lefnlghts. Election.
>> but dirlg voting a Travis County registererred voter can vote anywhere.
>> right.
>> you can go to any of these, there must be 40 or so --
>> you don't each need your voter registration, just have your driver's license.
>> and thank goodness we do have all of the things in terms of the permanent elections, it just that there are a lot of folks that really do take use of the mobiles to kind of take care of some things. And when -- the folks in political really appreciate not having to come downtown or not having to go someplace else, so we do have the tax office. I was just -- four in district 50ious bugged me. That is one of the hottest races in town and right behind it is 47. Seven and a half?
>> these sites weren't new sites, these were sites that we've typically used in the past and we're just continuing to use those. So as we develop this and continue elections, we can add some more in the newer spaces, the newer areas like Pflugerville that is growing.
>> I think I've mentioned this before, especially when the election folks are here. I don't mind leading the charge with this, but it is pretty american to ask people to vote, and I find it just incredible that one of the places that you can't vote in the united states is in a u.s. Post office.
>> they actually do in other states, but for some reason, not here.
>> not in Texas. Well, that's all the more reason why I think that we as a court need to try to pass a resolution -- and again, I'm happy to work that o. That. I think we have three congressmen in our area that I would really like for somebody to give me a plausible reason why you cannot vote in a u.s. Post office.
>> yeah.
>> it's state law?
>> it's a federal facility. They have their own regulations --
>> it's a at a time law that prohibits it?
>> no, it's not.
>> they just don't let us use it.
>> I have inquired with congressman lamar smith's office and they ran -- they made a hard run at it in d.c. And got back and just said no, you can't do it. And I said well, that's just not acceptable. I mean, once we find the time to make a run at this, judge, I cannot imagine that we would not be totally supportive as a court to do whatever it takes --
>> and that would give us more funts in that area.
>> if you want to find folks Pflugerville, it will be at either one of the h.e.b.'s and as sh 130 goes in a lot more of the Pflugerville population is moving further to the east. So the idea that the tax office works, that's good for the western part, but that place is exploding and we're going to have to get more aggressive over there. And we talked to the Pflugerville independent contradict in terms of some sites there, in terms of some mobile things, but if towpt find folks in flicialtion gow to the post.
>> they have more than adequate parking. They're always a.d.a. Accessible. They are the perfect location and very seldom do you go into a post office other than perhaps some of the lines because there is only one or two stations open, but there are plenty of places in a post office that can you set up and the square footage that you'd need you generally could do that. So I'm --
>> we had a rededication ceremony for byron norwood at the post office and there were hundreds much people there.
>> move approval of 34.
>> second.
>> judge, with that motion -- is is this discussion?
>> yes, sir.
>> could you possibly tell me after this -- after this is probably approved by court, how this information can be given out to the public? What are you doing about that, since folks might want to know it early and get it out of the way, so what are you doing to publicize it to the point where people have access to this information?
>> we have a lot of website information both on the voter registration website and the election website. Those are separate. Dwoa -- when it comes to early voting, we have a lot of publications that go out. It on the Travis County tv reel, and that's repeated continuously. We do several public service announcements. Right now channel 8 has come to our office and we're doing semghts about disabled voting, so that's something we do continuously. As soon as we get the push out for the election, we will alert the media that there are a lot of new sites involved. We also do make that available to the print media, chronicle, states men and the surrounding smaller papers.
>> okay. I just wanted the public to hear the access points of what you brought up as far as this information is concerned.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> 35 is is to consider and take appropriate action -- by the way, there's a motion for us to contact our u.s. Postal officials and see if we could reach agreement on our ability to hold future elections at post office facilities in Travis County.
>> correct.
>> and more than probably the postal officials, our congressmen.
>> whatever we can do and make it happen.
>> I'm especially interested because, kim, I did not know it -- you're telling me that some states you can? Are we part of the united states?
>> express appropriate alarm, shock, surprise. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. [ laughter ]
>> just wondering.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 7:33 PM