Judge Jim Jordan in the Rio Grande Valley
Early voting begins
Ryan Holeywell
October 20, 2008 - 8:27PM
Early voting continues through Oct. 31. Polling sites are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m daily. On Sunday, polls are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registered voters can cast ballots at any early voting site. To find a voting site, call (956) 784-8683 or visit http://co.hidalgo.tx.us/index.asp?nid=105
McALLEN - Eva Wilson had never voted early in an election, but this year she made an exception.
Citing this year’s presidential contest as crucial to the nation’s future, Wilson showed up to Palmer Pavilion to vote on the first day of early voting Monday.
“I’m really eager to get my opinion voiced,” said Wilson, a supporter of Republican presidential nominee John McCain. “It’s so important. I can’t take a chance I might be out of town or distracted.”
Wilson is just one of the tens of thousands of Hidalgo County voters expected to cast their ballots during the two week early voting period that began Monday.
The period is crucial to campaigns here, as most voters here cast their ballots prior to Election Day.
On Monday, 9,641 votes were cast in Hidalgo County.
In the Valley, “elections are won in early voting,” said Dolly Elizondo, chair of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party.
Indeed, a higher percentage of voters here cast their ballots during the early period compared to the rest of the state.
In the March primaries, 57 percent of ballots cast in the Republican and Democratic parties were cast during the early period, according to the Hidalgo County Elections Department.
That’s higher than the statewide figure of 43 percent.
The growing importance on early voting could have significant impacts on the race, as developments in the campaign that happen between now and Election Day will have a diminished impact, said Tom Haughey, executive direct of the Hidalgo County Republican Party.
“If something happens in the last week, it’s largely going to be ineffectual because so many people could have already voted,” said Haughey, noting that the impact will be felt most greatly in battleground states like Ohio.
Early voting is also the period during which political groups and organizers usually focus their efforts.
Dozens of members of the Local 5 Service Employees International Union gathered after work at Palmer Pavilion to vote and rally support, said Nathan Selzer, the union’s political director.
“This is a great time (to vote),” said Selzer, whose group has endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. “Do you want to wait in line at the tax office or not have to wait at all? That’s why we say you should get out early.”
Jim Jordan, a Democrat running for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, said he believes a strong showing in the Valley will be critical for members of his party seeking statewide office.
Jordan, who is based in Dallas, said winning the early vote is a key part of that goal, which is why he campaigned in McAllen Monday.
One reason the Valley has such a high percentage of early voters is the system of politiqueras, who work for candidates to help deliver votes, said Selzer.
“It’s a lot easier to do that when you have two weeks than in just one day,” Selzer said. “Historically… there’s been a push on the early vote.”
But Haughey said early voting is a double-edged sword. He said a two-week early period allows politiqueras - known for sometimes using dubious techniques- an opportunity to extend their influence by giving them more time to deliver votes with their limited resources.
“It ensures more people get out to vote, but it gives an advantage to the politiquera system,” Haughey said.
Candidates and get-out-the-vote groups emphasize early voting as a time to avoid the long lines that often plague voting sites on Election Day.
Jo Ann Searson, 64, barely had to wait in line at Palmer Pavilion to vote Monday.
“It’s fairly calm in there,” said Searson after casting her vote for McCain. “I hate to come on the day of voting”
For others, early voting provided an opportunity to close the book on a campaign that has lasted more than a year and a half.
Juan Guerra, 71, and his wife Tina, 69, voted at Palmer Pavilion Monday.
Juan Guerra wouldn’t say who they voted for, but he added with a smile, “We’re definitely not in the ‘undecided’ column.”
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Ryan Holeywell covers McAllen, PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.
