city/school elections

Turnout during the first week of early voting in Smith County for May 7 elections was “higher than expected.”

As of Friday afternoon, 3,594 people had cast their ballot in city, school elections and two state propositions, according to Smith County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon.

“It’s been pretty steady,” she said. “There hasn’t been a huge turnout, but it’s been a steady turnout throughout the county.”

Allcon added that 993 mail-in ballots have been accepted and 106 sent back to voters for corrections because of issues related to the state’s new election law.

The number of rejected mail-in ballots “could be better, but it could be worse,” she said.

When looking at 2021 and this year’s city and school elections, they are not “in my opinion comparable,” Allcon said. This is because not all of the same entities took part in this past year’s city and school elections, she added.

“Some entities have elections every two years and some have them every year, so if you’re really wanting to do a true comparison, it needs to be with like and like together,” she said.

However, 1,650 total ballots were cast in the 2021 city and school elections, according to Allcon.

“It’s been a good turnout, and that’s mainly because there are bond propositions on the ballot for three different school districts,” she said.

All Smith County voters can cast a ballot in the two state proposition elections, which are related to homestead exemptions.

Along with assorted city council and school board races, numerous Smith County districts are asking voters to approve bond measures.

Tyler ISD has a $89 million bond package on the ballot, with $63 million slated for a new Hubbard Middle School and the remaining $26 million funding a new Early College High School.

Other Smith County school districts with bond measures on the May ballot are Bullard and Chapel Hill ISDs.

Early voting continues Monday and Tuesday.

For an overview of Smith County ballots, go to tinyurl.com/whatsonsmithballot . To view sample ballots, go to tinyurl.com/y6nhkmhy or tylerpaper.com .

Eight early voting locations are open from:

• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 2 and May 3

Locations:

• The HUB, 304 E. Ferguson St., Tyler
• Bullard Southern Baptist, 716 N. Houston St., Bullard
• Chapel Hill Administrative Building, 11134 C.R. 2249, Tyler
• First Christian Church, 4202 S. Broadway Ave., Tyler
• Heritage Building, 1900 Bellwood Road, Tyler
• Lindale Masonic Lodge, 200 W. Margaret St., Lindale
• Noonday Community Center, 16662 CR 196, Tyler
• Whitehouse United Methodist Church, 405 W. Main St., Whitehouse