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| 1/28/2010 8:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Changes to election precincts approved
By CHRISTINE BOLANOS
Special to the Leader
Voting precincts in Hutto have been tweaked in time for the upcoming primary elections.
Williamson County Elections officials made a presentation at the Jan. 21 Hutto City Council meeting regarding election precinct changes in Hutto city limits. The council unanimously approved the changes.
The deadline to register to vote for Hutto mayor and City Council places 2, 3, and 6 is April 8, with the election set for May 8.
According to the city's Web site, the precincts are located at the following:
• Precinct 402: Hutto City Hall - 401 W. Front St., Hutto
• Precinct 403: Hutto Elementary School - 100 Mager Lane, Hutto
• Precinct 420: Hutto Middle School - 1005 Exchange Blvd., Hutto
According to an official document Candi Zaccheus, county Elections Geographic Information System analyst, provided the Round Rock Leader, Precinct 402 was created from the northwest portion of former Precinct 426 south of East U.S. Highway 79, west of South Farm to Market Road 1660, following the city of Hutto boundary to state Highway 130. The precinct also gained the northeast portion of former Precinct 424, following the city of Hutto boundary.
According to the document, Precinct 403 was created from the north central portion of the former Precinct 426 south of East U.S. Highway 79, east of South Farm to Market Road 1660, following the City of Hutto boundary along the southeast and thence north to East U.S. Highway 79. The precinct also gained the portion of former Precinct 420 east of North Farm to Market 1660, following the city of Hutto boundary to the north, and along the east.
According to Rick Barreon, Williamson County Elections administrator, changes to precincts were made as a result of Precinct 426's violation of Texas Election Code because it contained more than 5,000 registered voters as of May 12, 2009, when the changes were adopted by Hutto.
The document states that after consultations with Precinct 4 County Commissioner Ron Morrison, and the chairs of the Republican and Democratic parties, Bill Fairbrother and Richard Torres, recommendation was made to adjust the boundaries to election precincts 420, 424, and 426 to create precincts 402 and 403.
Hutto now has three precincts: 402, 403, and 420.
"How did we lose [Precinct] 426?" City Secretary Debby Chelf asked at the conclusion of the presentation.
Zaccheus said there is a portion of land in Precinct 426 that is part of the city of Hutto incorporated boundary, "however there are no registered voters in it at this time."
Setting ideal voting places for voters can sometimes prove difficult, she said at the meeting.
"Sometimes that's a real challenge if it's a real rural or highly residential area. We would not want to exclude a special group or a specific minority, or an economically specified group of people," Zaccheus said.
New precinct numbers and precinct locations can be found on the new blue registration cards sent to Williamson County voters.
Councilmember Veronica "Ronnie" Quintanilla-Perez said she didn't notice a change to her registration card.
"I guess we haven't been paying enough attention," she said.
Quintanilla-Perez asked Zaccheus if voters would be notified of changes by any other means since precinct number and location changes on the registration cards may go un-noticed.
Zaccheus said a notification would be sent out to residents about precinct changes.
Mayor David F. Begier and councilmembers Debbie Holland, Ronnie Quintanilla-Perez and Felix Madrid currently hold the mayor seat and City Council places 2, 3 and 6, respectively.
Applications for a place on the Hutto regular election ballot may be filed between Feb. 8 and March 8, 2010, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The physical and mailing address for filing applications for place on the ballot is 401 W. Front St. in Hutto.
City Secretary Debby Chelf serves as chief election official of all city elections.
For more information, contact Williamson County Elections Administrator Rick Barron at (512) 943-1622 or at rbarron@wilco.org, or GIS Analyst Candi Zaccheus at 943-1629 or at czaccheus@wilco.org.
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