Election
BY JESSICA MCLAREN, CLAIRE SHOOP & GRACIE WARHURST
Court rejects ballots from extended voting hours On election night, two Williamson County polls stayed open late after a legal injunction. However, the Texas Supreme Court suspended that order, meaning provisional ballots cast by approximately 150 to 200 voters who joined the line after 7 p.m. will not be counted unless the Texas Supreme Court ultimately rules otherwise. What happened Ahead of polls closing, the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit against the local party chairs to extend voting at two Georgetown locations due to long lines. District Judge Betsy Lambeth granted the extension, ordering the polls at the Georgetown Annex and NorthStar Georgetown to remain open until 10 p.m. In response, the Attorney General’s Office filed an emergency appeal, and the Texas Supreme Court suspended Lambeth’s ruling after 10 p.m.
WilCo counts 69 misplaced ballots
1460
SCENIC LAKE DR.
NorthStar Georgetown
N
A total of 69 Republican ballots cast on primary election day March 3, but misplaced and not initially counted, were tabulated and included in the final canvassed results following a March 12 court order. What happened While processing post-election paperwork March 11, the Williamson County Election Department discovered presiding judges at two Republican polling locations misplaced a total of 69 ballots cast on election day, a county spokesperson confirmed in an email. The ballots, 40 from the Andice Com- munity Center in Florence and 29 from the Cedar Park Randalls, were put in a box of election-related paperwork instead of the ballot box.
WILCO WAY
Georgetown Annex
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The background The Williamson County Republican Party opted for precinct-specific polling locations on election day this year, which required the Democratic Party to follow suit. On election day, the line to vote at Hutto Discovery United Methodist Church spilled onto the sidewalk outside. Several voters in line at the Democratic polling location said they were unaware of precinct-based voting. Some said they were turned away from previous polling places.
Williamson County Precinct 2 race goes to runoff In Williamson County, Republican voters in Pre- cinct 2 cast ballots for who they want to be county commissioner during the primary elections. More details Final unofficial election day results show uncontested in the November general election, since no Democratic candidate filed to run. McDonald is a former Leander City Council mem- ber, while Mayes is a commercial real estate broker and former high school agriculture teacher.
Results breakdown
Headed to runoff
Williamson County Precinct 2, Republican primary 29.48% Jeff Mayes
24.46% Rupal Chaudhari
The primary comes as sitting Precinct 2 commis- sioner Cynthia Long decided not to seek reelection after nearly 20 years of service.
David McDonald and Jeff Mayes edging out Rupal Chaudhari to advance to a runoff for the Precinct 2 seat. The winner of the May 26 contest will be
46.06% David McDonald
SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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GEORGETOWN EDITION
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