It’s holiday season. It’s turkey season. It’s monsoon season. And most importantly, it’s election season. Disputes between candidates, the issues, and their views have been prevalent for over a year and time has finally come to elect the next POTUS.
The third and last presidential debate, which took place in Nevada on October 19, presented the two candidates for president: Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The candidates discussed issues like employment, tax concerns, and foreign policy.
Early voting began October 24 and will continue through November 4. Three locations in Bryan and two in College Station will be available, and they close at 5pm on weekdays. Those locations are in the MSC, CS Utilities and Training Facility, Arena Hall, Galilee Baptist Church, and Brazos County Administrative Building.
Voters need only to bring an accepted form of identification, most commonly a driver’s license to vote. Election day around the country is November 8 and polls in Texas will be open from 7am to 7pm, and you can find a list of polling locations at http://brazosvotes.org/voting-centers. More information can be found on the Texas Election Center website: vote.org/state/texas. Residents can also check in which county they are registered to vote on this website.
Texas has been a Republican state for many years, with the party controlling the state in the House and Senate. However, during the primary elections in March, a majority of the votes went to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Texas is predicted to remain largely Democratic throughout this election.
During the general election on November 8, Texans will also be able to vote for House of Representatives members; a total of 36 candidates will be elected. Currently the Republican Party is ahead with 25 out of 36 votes.
Another recent issue that is more prevalent in daily life than just politics is low voter turnout. According to the Huffington Post, United States had the ninth-lowest voting rate among 35 other countries. Other news sources like CNN.com predict voter turnout will be even lower this year because of residents being unable to pick between the “lesser of two evils.” However, most people do not realize that they don’t vote for just a president, but they also vote for other components in the party, including the House and Senate, to control Capitol Hill. Additionally, every vote counts to make the national government more representative and democratic.
