Commissioners Vote on Polling Locations
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Comal County commissioners are expected to approve universal polling locations at their weekly meeting at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday at Comal County Courthouse, 100 Main Plaza, New Braunfels.
The move would allow Comal County voters to cast their ballots at any polling place in the county.
Also on Thursday, commissioners will decide whether to create a Comal County Elections Center at 396 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels. The center would serve as a central accumulation station (CAS) for the Nov. 5 special and general elections.
County Clerk Bobbie Koepp would serve as CAS manager, Elections Coordinator Cynthia Jaqua would be named CAS tabulation supervisor, and Voter Registrar Donna Dandridge would become CAS presiding judge.
Administrative staff and election judges also will be approved at Commissioners Court.
Polling Locations
Proposed new early voting locations for the Nov. 5 election include Mammen Family Public Library in Bulverde, Comal County Offices-Goodwin Annex in New Braunfels, St. Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church in Canyon Lake, Comal County Offices-Bulverde Annex in Bulverde, and Garden Ridge City Hall in Garden Ridge.
Thirteen election-day universal polling sites for Comal County’s 29 voting precincts include:
- Comal County Senior Citizens Center, New Braunfels
- Christ Our King Anglican Church, New Braunfels
- Vintage Oaks Amenity Center, New Braunfels
- Westside Community Center, New Braunfels
- Mammen Family Public Library, Bulverde
- Jay F. Feibelman Garden Ridge Community Center, Garden Ridge
- Bulverde/Spring Branch Fire & EMS @ Johnson Ranch, Bulverde
- Comal County Courthouse, New Braunfels
- Comal County Offices, Goodwin Annex, New Braunfels
- Tye Preston Memorial Library, Canyon Lake
- North Shore United Methodist Church, Canyon Lake
- Christ Presbyterian Church, New Braunfels
- Rebecca Creek Baptist Church, Spring Branch
Why Vote Centers?
In January, League of Women Voters – Comal Area’s Roxanna Deane explained to MyCanyonLake.com why universal polling locations would benefit area residents:
“Voters who want to vote on election day must now find the polling location that matches their voting precinct. This is not something every voter remembers year to year as they may have early voted in an election or did not vote at all. The county and secretary of state can help a voter find their location, but it is not always convenient.
“With so many people commuting to work or driving children to school, it sometimes would be easier to vote at a location that is along their route. This is what changing to countywide voting centers instead of specific precinct polling locations would make that possible.
“The League of Women Voters believes that making this switch would cut down on the frustration of voters and poll workers and encourage more people to vote. Since the county has the electronic polling books, it doesn’t really matter where you vote. Just like early voting, the system can verify anyone as a registered voter and know that the ballot has been cast. The League doesn’t see any downside to this method.”
