People line up to vote at Bullard Southern Baptist Church in 2020, Nov. 3, 2020.

Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday for Election Day. Thousands of voters in Smith County already cast ballots during the early voting period that began Oct. 23.

There are 14 statewide propositions on the ballot for everyone in Smith County.

According to The Texas Tribune, many of the proposed amendments would create or alter funds to support:

• Higher education research
• Water infrastructure
• Gas-fueled power plants
• Broadband infrastructure
• Maintenance and creation of state parks
• Several others would address taxes by:
• Raising the homestead exemption for homeowners from $40,000 to $100,000
• Creating some tax exemptions for medical equipment and child-care facilities
• Banning lawmakers from imposing “wealth taxes” without voter approval
• Other amendments would affect Texans in certain professions by:
• Granting retired teachers cost-of-living raises
• Raising the mandatory retirement age for state judges
• Protecting generally accepted farming and ranching practices from state and local regulation

And two would impact Galveston and El Paso counties specifically, allowing Galveston County to eliminate the position of county treasurer and for El Paso County to use bonds for parks and recreation development. For further information about each amendment, visit tylerpaper.com/elections.

The cities of Whitehouse and Overton and the Whitehouse and Lindale Independent School Districts are each holding special elections.

Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon said the two weeks of early voting brought more people to the polls than expected, which could mean a busier-than-usual Election Day for a Constitutional Amendment Election.

Smith County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon reported a total of 9,836 people voted in-person during the two weeks of early voting, and 265 absentee ballots have been received. There are currently about 155,000 registered voters in Smith County.

Comparing those numbers to the last two Constitutional Amendment Elections, 2021 saw 2,322 people early vote, and 8,281 people vote on Election Day, with 149,000 registered voters. In 2019, 2,649 people voted early, 13,220 people voted on Election Day, and there were 138,000 registered voters in Smith County.

“We’ve seen an increase in voters. We have a higher number of registered voters in Smith County than we had the previous few years,” Allcon previously said. “People are more attuned to it. They’re realizing more that these elections make a difference and impact their lives.”

In addition to the 14 statewide propositions on all ballots, some Smith County voters will see other items on their ballots, including:

Local

Lindale ISD: Citizens can vote for or against Proposition A, ratifying the tax rate of $0.9542 per $100 valuation. This rate will result in an increase of negative 6.867% in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional negative $1,365,897.

What it means: If the Lindale community approves the adopted tax rate, LISD will cut taxes an additional 21.54 cents, for 43.58 cents over the last five years.

If the adopted rate is approved, the six cents will generate an additional $1,400,000 in revenue that the school district will use to improve the LISD teacher pay scale and pay for LISD support staff.

The school board reduced the taxes for all property owners in Lindale because of the strong economic growth throughout the community. This past year, the school district experienced a 23% growth in property values.

Whitehouse ISD: Citizens have the opportunity to vote for or against Proposition A, ratifying the tax rate of $0.9272 per $100 valuation, a rate that will result in a decrease of 10.3690% in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is a reduction of $2,502,152.

What it means: Proposition A would provide additional maintenance and operating funding and maximize State funding. If passed, Whitehouse ISD would realize $1.6 million more annually through maintenance and operating funds.

The additional $1.6 million per year would be used to support the WISD Strategic Plan, which includes academic support, employee pay raises, safety and security and capital improvements.

City of Whitehouse: Citizens can vote for or against Proposition A, a sales tax reallocation in the City of Whitehouse, increasing the local sales and use tax. There are also elections for City Council positions.

What it means: Proposition A would change how taxes are reported to the state and how existing tax dollars are spent in the City of Whitehouse, according to a statement from the city. If it passes, Whitehouse will offer greater transparency on the amount of property taxes collected, direct more existing funds to economic development, and reduce the impact of government regulations coming out of Austin.

It would also direct more existing funds to economic development, allowing the City to gain more freedom to invest in projects that will improve the community. This could mean attracting new businesses, improving public services and creating job opportunities.

Proposition A will not increase the tax rate, and City leaders remain committed to decreasing the property tax rate.

Candidates for City Council Place 1 Zack Briscoe, Place 3 John Chambers, and Place 5 Matt Lazarine are running uncontested.

City of Overton: Citizens can vote for either Richard “Bubba” Howell or Curtis Gilbert for a two-year term as Mayor. City Council candidates for two-year terms in Place 2 Christopher Hall and Place 4 Raymond Moon are uncontested. A candidate for a one-year term on City Council Place 3 April Littlefield is running uncontested.

What it means: The City of Overton will elect one mayoral and three council seats.

There will be 35 polling locations open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Parking could be tight around the county’s main location, The Hub in downtown on Ferguson Street, so voters are encouraged to go to other voting centers that typically have shorter wait times. If you do go vote at the Hub, you do not have to pay the meters when you park along Ferguson Street in front of the building.

Voting locations include:

Arp First Baptist Church: 304 W. Front St., Arp, TX 75750

Bell Elementary: 1409 E. Hankerson St., Tyler, TX 75701

Bethel Bible Church: 17121 Hwy 69 S, Tyler, TX 75703

Bullard Southern Baptist Church: 716 N. Houston St., Bullard, TX 75757

Cameron J Jarvis Library: 102 S. Georgia St., Troup, TX 75789

Central Baptist Church: 1343 E Grande Blvd, Tyler, TX 75703

Chapel Hill Fire Department: 13801 CR 220, Tyler, TX 75707

Clarkston Elementary: 2915 Williamsburg Dr., Tyler, TX 75701

Crossbrand Cowboy Church: 11915 FM 2015, Tyler, TX 75708

Dover Baptist Church: 21166 FM 1995, Tyler, TX 75704

First Baptist Gresham: 16844 CR 165, Tyler, TX 75703

First Christian Church: Christian Life Center: 4202 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, TX 75701

Flint Baptist Church: 11131 FM 2868 W, Flint, TX 75762

Glass Recreation Center: 501 W. 32nd St., Tyler, TX 75702

Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Rd., Tyler, TX 75701

Hideaway Members Svcs Building: 101 Hide-A-Way Ln, Hideaway, TX 75771

Hill Creek Baptist Church: 14749 Hwy 110 S, Whitehouse, TX 75791

Main Location The HUB, 304 E. Ferguson St., Tyler, TX 75702

Jones-Boshears Elementary: 3450 Chandler Hwy, Tyler, TX 75702

Lanes Chapel UMC: Family Center: 8720 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler, TX 75703

Lindale Masonic Lodge: 200 W. Margaret St., Lindale, TX 75771

Mt. Carmel Baptist Church: 10519 FM 344 E, Whitehouse, TX 75791

New Harmony Baptist Church: 10251 FM 724, Tyler, TX 75704

Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler, TX 75703

Old Tyler Airport: 150 Airport Dr., Tyler, TX 75704

Red Springs Fire Department: 16759 FM 14, Tyler, TX 75706

Shiloh Road Church of Christ: 1801 Shiloh Rd., Tyler, TX 75703

St. Louis Baptist Church: 4000 Frankston Hwy., Tyler, TX 75701

St. Violet Baptist Church: 14129 FM 2767, Tyler, TX 75708

Starrville Church of the Living God: 18396 Hwy 271, Winona, TX 75792

T J Austin Elementary: 1105 W. Franklin St., Tyler, TX 75702

Three Lakes Middle: 2445 Three Lakes Pkwy., Tyler, TX 75703

Tyler Senior Center: 1915 Garden Valley Rd., Tyler, TX 75702

Victor Kay Gymnasium: 605 Wildcat Dr., Winona, TX 75792

Whitehouse UMC: 405 W. Main St., Whitehouse, TX 75791

For more information about the election, including curbside voting, polling place accessibility and ballots by mail, visit www.smith-county.com/government/departments/elections. View sample ballots at www.smith-county.com/government/departments/elections/current-election-information/current-sample-ballots.