Voter registration deadline nears

By Jay Ermis

The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 3 election is Monday in the Walker County voter registrar’s office at the county annex, 1301 Sam Houston Ave.

The county and City of Huntsville will hold a joint election Nov. 3, but the county only covers the 11 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

The annex is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for voter registration.

Enacted in 1876, the Texas State Constitution has been amended more than 400 times.

Proposed constitutional amendments must pass by a two-thirds vote in both houses of the state legislature to be considered on the ballot.

The 11 amendments were approved for consideration by the 81st Legislature and require a majority vote to be amended to the constitution.

Early voting on the proposed amendments will be held from Oct. 19 through Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the county annex.

The proposed amendments include:

• Proposition 1 — “The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation.”

• Proposition 2 — “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence homestead."

• Proposition 3 — “The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.”

• Proposition 4 — “The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund.”

• Proposition 5 — “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to authorize a single board of equalization for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated equalizations.”

• Proposition 6 — “The constitutional amendment authorizing the Veterans Land Board to issue general obligation bonds in amounts equal to or less than amounts previously authorized.”

• Proposition 7 — “The constitutional amendment to allow an officer or enlisted member of the Texas State Guard or other state militia or military force to hold other civil offices.”

• Proposition 8 — “The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to contribute money, property, and other resources for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of veterans hospitals in this state.”

• Proposition 9 — “The constitutional amendment to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico.”

• Proposition 10 — “The constitutional amendment to provide that elected members of the governing boards of emergency services districts may serve terms not to exceed four years.”

• Proposition 11 — “The constitutional amendment to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature's authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity.”

Voting on election day will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following polling locations:

• Precincts 101-102 — Walker County Annex, 1301 Sam Houston Ave., Huntsville.

• Precinct 103 — Cook Spring Baptist Church, 1936-A, State Highway 75 North, Huntsville.

• Precinct 104 — Northside Baptist Church, 1207 FM 908, Huntsville.

• Precinct 201 — First Presbyterian Church, 1801 19th St., Huntsville.

• Precinct 203-204 — Walker County Fairgrounds, 3707 State Highway 30 West, Huntsville.

• Precinct 205 — Elkins Lake Conference Center, 634 Cherry Hills Drive, Huntsville.

• Precinct 206 — Region VI Education Service Center, 3332 Montgomery Road, Huntsville.

• Precinct 301 — Martin Luther King Center, 300 Avenue F, Huntsville.

• Precinct 302-303 — Calvary Baptist Church, 1135 U.S. Highway 190, Huntsville.

• Precinct 304-305 — Riverside Volunteer Fire Department, 2341 FM 980, Huntsville.

• Precinct 401 — University Heights Baptist Church, 2400 Sycamore Ave., Huntsville.

• Precinct 402-403 — Phelps First Methodist Church, Dorrell Road, Watson Lake Road, Phelps.

• Precinct 404 — New Waverly First Baptist Church, 460 Fisher, New Waverly.

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