Early voting in Texas began on Monday and a long line of voters waited for up to an hour to vote in Victoria. Throughout the week, a record-breaking number of 2,000 voters a day have cast their ballots in the election. The question posed is, with so many voters and long wait times, why is there only one early voting polling location in Victoria? Margetta Hill, Elections Administrator for Victoria County, expected long lines for the first day of early voting.
This election cycle Hill moved the line of voters inside the building instead of letting the line trickle out the door and reach Airline St. “Most people vote early because it’s convenient,” Hill said. Despite being open from 10 to 12 hours a day during the first week of early voting, some citizens are complaining about hour-long waits to vote.
“Expect lines like this for the next two weeks. Last presidential election we had 1,200 to 1,300 voters a day,” Hill said. According to Election Code Section 85.
002, early voting by personal appearance for each election shall be conducted at the main early voting polling location, which is the Pattie Dodson Health Center for Victoria. The Texas Election Code (Section 85.004) states: The election order and the election notice must designate and state the location of the main early voting polling place.
Pattie Dodson is established as the Victoria County Elections office, which makes it easiest to designate as the main early voting location. While the code puts an emphasis .
