First 2 days of early voting exceed 2016’s turnout

More people voted on the second day of early voting than the first in Hays County — and on both days, turnout surpassed the highest numbers seen during early voting for the 2016 presidential election.

Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson reported Wednesday morning that on Oct. 23, 6,704 ballots were cast at the nine early voting locations set up around the county. That’s 199 more ballots than were cast on Oct. 22, the first day of early voting. According to county figures, in the first two days of early voting for the November 2016 presidential election, voter turnout totaled 9,045. Monday and Tuesday’s early voting turnout totals 13,209. The highest early voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election was on Nov. 1, with 4,932 ballots cast countywide — well below the 6,505 seen Monday and the 6,704 on Tuesday. 

The Texas Tribune has calculated that 12.6 percent of registered voters in Hays County had cast their ballots by the end of day two of early voting. According to the Tribune’s figures, only slightly more than 20 percent of the county’s registered voters cast ballots during early voting for the 2014 midterm. Almost 1.2 million Texans voted during the first two days of early voting for the upcoming midterm, the Tribune reported.

On Oct. 23, 1,066 people cast ballots at the Buda City Hall. The second highest turnout was at Texas State University, where 1,000 votes were cast. Long lines and high turnout at Texas State prompted some to call for more access to early voting on campus; the LBJ Student Center early voting location was only open for three days.The Commissioners Court approved early voting dates and locations — including the three days at the LBJ Student Center — on Aug. 7. 

At the Hays County Precinct 4 office in Dripping Springs, 985 voters cast their ballots on Tuesday; at Hays County Government Center, 924 votes were cast, and 855 voters turned out at the Wimberley Community Center. The Precinct 2 office in Kyle saw turnout of 770, Kyle City Hall saw 476, the Live Oak Clinic/Health Department on Broadway Street in San Marcos saw 384 voters, and 244 voters cast their ballots at Eikon Church in Kyle.