Early voting and new machines

The November elections are drawing near – early voting begins October 21 and runs through November 1 – and Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson wants voters to know about a few changes this year:

Hays County now has a Countywide Polling Program, which will allow voting at any polling site in Hays County during early voting as usual, but now also on Election Day, November 5. Most of the locations will be familiar to voters who have cast ballots in Hays County recently, but a few have changed due to schools and churches opting out of serving as voting locations.

The Hays County Commissioners Court has added 18 locations for voting on Election Day, and five new early voting sites. Texas State University will have a polling site at the LBJ Student Center for the entire two weeks of early voting as well as on Election Day.

New voting machines will be in use this year that print a paper confirmation of a voter’s selections and use a touch screen that includes the ability to toggle back-and-forth between English and Spanish during voting. After the machine asks (twice) if the voter is sure the selections are correct, it will print out the selections (in English or Spanish) for review. If a voter notices a mistake on the printout a poll worker can assist in canceling that ballot and the voter can start over. The ballot is cast by placing the printout in a secure scanner that records the vote electronically. The paper printout will serve as backup should a recount be necessary. The new machines are ADA-compliant and can be used curb-side for voters who have mobility issues.

Early voting takes place October 21 through 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., October 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., October 28 through 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and October 31 through November 1 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election day is November 5 with voting hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In Wimberley, voting takes place at the Wimberley Community Center and the Wimberley ISD Administration Building.

Other county voting locations include:

San Marcos

Hays County Government Center

Hays County Health

Department/ Live Oak

Health

Sinai Pentecostal Church

Texas State University –

LBJ Student Center

Kyle

ACC Campus

Chapa Middle School

Hays CISD Admin Office Kyle City Hall

Buda

Buda City Hall McCormick Middle School

Dripping Springs & Driftwood

Hays County Precinct 4 Office

Ledgestone Senior Living