Early Voting for November 2nd Election Now Underway

Early voting for the November 2nd Constitutional Amendment special election began on Monday of this week and will end on October 29.

In Limestone County early voting by personal appearance is being held at two locations in Limestone County. One early voting box is located in the Limestone County Courthouse in Room G-1 which is on the ground floor of the courthouse. The location of the Courthouse is 200 W. State Street in Groesbeck. The other early voting station is at the Mexia Civic Center which is located at 101 S. McKinney in Mexia.

The early voting schedule for both locations is given below:

Limestone County Courthouse, Room G-I, 200 W. State Street, Groesbeck, TX 76642: Monday -- Friday, Oct. 18 through Oct. 22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday -- Friday, October 25-29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mexia Civic Center, 101 S. McKinney Street, Mexia, Texas 76667, Monday -Friday, October 18, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday -- Friday, Oct. 22- 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Texas voters are deciding on whether to approve these eight amendments to the state constitution.

Proposition 1 would allow the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to hold charity raffles at their rodeo events, much as Texas’ professional sports teams do at their home games.

Proposition 2 would authorize counties to issue bonds to fund transportation and infrastructure projects in blighted areas. Cities can currently issue these bonds but not counties.

Proposition 3 would prohibit any governmental entity from enacting any rule limiting or prohibiting religious services. Some places of worship were limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this proposed amendment would prohibit that.

Proposition 4 would require judicial candidates to be Texas residents with a license to practice law in Texas, to be a practicing lawyer for at least eight years before the election, and have not had their law license revoked or suspended during that time.

Proposition 5 would allow the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to take complaints, conduct investigations, and take other action against a candidate running for a state judicial office. The commission currently only handles officeholders, not candidates.

Proposition 6 would allow residents in nursing and assisted living facilities or state-supporting living centers to designate essential caregivers who could not be denied in-person visitation. This is another amendment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proposition 7 would allow a surviving spouse who is receiving homestead exemptions on school district property taxes due to disability to continue to take advantage as long as the surviving spouse is 35 or older.

Proposition 8 would extend tax exemptions to a surviving spouse of a member or of the military who died because of injuries sustained during their service whether it is related to combat or not.

A sample ballot appears in this week’s Journal.