By Anton Riecher
Medina County has joined with a growing number of Texas counties opposing efforts by some state lawmakers to eliminate the option allowing voters to cast their ballots at any county polling location on Election Day.
Medina County currently allows voters to vote at any location in the county rather than specific polling precincts.
The Medina County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Monday to adopt a resolution to oppose any efforts by the Texas Legislature to eliminate countywide polling places, electronic poll books and electronic marking devices.
County Judge Keith Lutz said that nothing matters more to the commissioners court than the integrity of local elections.
“I feel that in Medina County we couldn’t have anything that is more accessible or inclusive of people and how they vote,” Lutz said.
According to The Texas Tribune, two bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature to eliminate the option to use any polling place on Election Day. The option is allowed in 99 counties encompassing more than 80 percent of the state.
Opponents of countywide voting say the option lacks transparency and produces inaccurate vote totals. Proponents counter that eliminating the option would require counties to open, equip and staff more neighborhood voting sites since voters would only be able to vote in their assigned precinct and limit voters to only being able to vote in one place.
County Elections Administrator Lupe C. Torres presented the resolution opposing the anti-option proposals to the commissioners.
“Many constituents benefit from the ability to vote on Election Day at a polling location of their choice,” Torres said. “A lot of people work outside of Hondo or work in Hondo but live in other places within the county.
Requiring precinct based voting in Medina County “poses significant expenses and hardship for the county and its constituents,” Torres said.
One local opponent to the measure, Patricia Aken of Castroville, took the podium to state her case.
“Countywide polling place programs are unconstitutional, violating the power of the people by revoking the secrecy of the ballot and the ability to accurately audit the system,” Akens said.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre said that the idea of eliminating electronic voting to rely exclusively on paper ballots was reminiscent of Florida’s protracted presidential recount in 2000 and the protracted focus on “hanging chads.”
“I make a motion that we leave the system the way it is,” Sittre said. Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch seconded the motion with the court voting unanimously in support.
In other business, the com