By all accounts, Burnet County’s first foray into countywide polling was an unqualified success, according to Burnet County Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson.
Burnet County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the county’s participation in the Countywide Polling Place Program at their 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, court meeting at the Burnet County Courthouse. Public comment will be taken on use of the program and commissioners will consider a resolution asking the Texas Secretary of State to allow it to continue for future elections.
Earlier this year, Burnet County approved allowing registered voters to cast their ballots at any county voting center on Election Day (Nov. 3), regardless of where in the county the voters live.
Ferguson said the Nov. 3 election saw the largest turnout in Burnet County history with 24,925 voters casting ballots, up more than 4,400 from the previous record of 19,517 set in November 2016.
“On election day, just over one fourth of everyone who did vote, voted somewhere other than their home precinct,” Ferguson said. “Every one of the 21 voting locations on Election Day had someone come vote from another home precinct — including our most remote locations.”
Ferguson urged anyone who wishes to comment “to come and show their support of the continuation of the Vote Center program, and if you can’t come, you are welcome to write something that can be used to show support for or against the program to the Commissioners’ Court.”
