May 2 Local Election: What’s on the ballot in Central Texas, polling locations, hours & more
CENTRAL TEXAS - Saturday is election day across the state. Voters in Central Texas are deciding on a number of important local races and issues.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The backstory:
City Elections
In Central Texas, there are a few mayoral races taking place on Saturday. Cities include Bee Cave, Cedar Park, Elgin, Florence, Round Rock, Taylor, and Webberville.
In West Lake Hills, a city council seat will be decided.
Some cities also have policies on the ballot for voters to decide on, and some are asking for bond money. These cities include Liberty Hill, Round Rock, and Thrall.
School Elections
Three school election propositions are to be decided in Bartlett.
A breakdown of the races are listed below:
Big picture view:
Bell County propositions
Bartlett ISD Prop A
Bartlett ISD asked for $12.5 million for new classrooms and an AG Vocational building.
Bartlett ISD Prop B
Bartlett ISD voters also decided on Prop B, which is $3.3 million to refinance existing maintenance tax obligations.
Bartlett ISD Prop C
The third bond on the Bartlett ISD ballot was Prop C. It is asking for $1 million to refinance outstanding time warrants.
Travis County races
Bee Cave mayoral race
In Bee Cave, incumbent Kara King is seeking a third term after serving as mayor for the last six years.
King is facing challenger Elaina Fowler.
Elgin mayoral race
In Elgin, incumbent Mayor Theresa McShan faces a rematch against challenger Stephanie Lippke.
McShan has served as mayor since 2022.
Webberville mayoral race
The race for mayor of Webberville features incumbent Hector Gonzales and challenger Angela Tidwell.
West Lake Hills City Council: Place 2
Former Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore is making a run for city council in West Lake.
Moore has a high profile due to her previous county-wide service, while David Kaufman is the other nonpartisan candidate vying for the Place 2 seat.
Williamson County races
Cedar Park mayoral race
Cedar Park Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin is up for reelection after serving the city for the last four years.
Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin is being challenged by Dean Doscher.
Florence mayoral race
Florence voters chose between two nonpartisan candidates for mayor.
Incumbent Ben Daniel is facing a challenge from David Merideth.
Round Rock mayoral race
Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan is seeking his third term. He has led the city since 2017.
Mayor Morgan is being challenged by Kelly Hall.
Taylor mayoral race
Taylor voters are electing a mayor under a new charter amendment. The "at-large" seat is transitioning into a mayoral seat.
The following candidates are vying for the office:
- Sandra O. Wolff
- Taylor Stubbs
- Jim Buzan
Williamson County propositions
Liberty Hill Prop A
City of Liberty Hill voters are voting on Proposition A, a street maintenance sales tax.
- The Measure: Reauthorization of the local sales and use tax at 0.25% to continue funding municipal street repairs
- Expiration: The tax expires in four years unless reauthorized again
Round Rock Prop A
Round Rock voters will decide on Prop A, which would allow up to 12 new electronic billboards along I-35 and Hwy 45.
Round Rock Prop B
A major public safety mandate was on the ballot in Round Rock. Prop B would require specific minimum fire department staffing levels by 2037.
Thrall Prop A
City of Thrall voters are voting on Proposition A, a street maintenance sales tax.
- The Measure: Reauthorization of a local sales and use tax at the rate of 0.25% for the maintenance and repair of municipal streets
What you can do:
Where can I go to vote?
Your assigned polling place is based on where you live. Visit your county's election page for polling locations, sample ballots, and additional resources.
You can also visit the Am I Registered portal on the Secretary of State’s website. It will list the locations where you can vote.
When are polls open on election day?
The polls in Texas are open from 7 a.m. on the date of the election until 7 p.m. Anyone in line at the time the polls close will be allowed to cast their ballot.
Do I need an ID to vote in Texas?
In order to vote in person during early voting or on election day, Texas voters will be asked to present an acceptable form of photo ID. Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
- United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
- United States Passport (book or card)
Here is a list of the supporting forms of ID that can be presented if the voter does not possess an acceptable form of photo identification and cannot reasonably obtain one:
- Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
- Copy of or original current utility bill
- Copy of or original bank statement
- Copy of or original government check
- Copy of or original paycheck
- Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)
For more information on acceptable forms of ID and what you can do if you do not have one, click here.
Can you vote with an expired ID?
If you have a form of acceptable photo ID and are between the ages of 18 and 69, your ID must be current or expired for no more than 4 years to qualify to vote.
For voters 70 and older, your photo ID can be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise okay.
How can I report voting issues?
If you have problems or questions, you can call the Secretary of State’s toll-free election hotline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683) or email elections@sos.texas.gov.
To file a formal complaint, download the complaint form here. It can be submitted by mail, fax, or email.
The Source: Information from Travis, Williamson, and Bell counties' elections page