Low turnout anticipated for Nov. 4 election, but stakes still high for voters

“Every single election is important. Doesn’t matter how big or how small,” Nueces County Clerk Kara Sands said.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As election administrators finish preparations for Tuesday’s vote, they’re reminding residents that every election matters, no matter how big or small.

Historically, primary constitutional elections have seen low voter turnout. But this year’s ballot is packed with local and statewide measures that will affect communities, schools and more.

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“Every single election is important. Doesn’t matter how big or how small,” Nueces County Clerk Kara Sands said.

Sands emphasized that even though this election may not have the same visibility as others, the decisions being made are still critical.

“You’re not hearing a lot about it because remember when you have candidates they’re also paying for ads,” Sands said.

Political and legal expert Dr. Bill Chriss said the measures on the ballot could have long-lasting impacts on the state’s constitution.

“What happens when you have a constitutional amendment election is if an amendment passes then it’s added to the constitution and that makes it harder to undo,” Dr. Chriss said.

Despite the significance, Dr. Chriss noted that many voters tend to skip these smaller elections.

“People don’t really appreciate the impact of these amendments. They’re wordy, they’re hard to understand,” he said.

At times, outside factors can add to the confusion. This year, a formatting error on the ballot listed some propositions out of order, jumping from Proposition 13 to 15, with Proposition 14 appearing on the next page.

“We called the SOS immediately said what do we need to do and they said you know what, it doesn’t change the legality of it so go ahead and proceed… We have notices up we’re letting everyone know and how you vote, it’s how it’s going to be counted,” Sands said.

Sands encouraged voters to review their ballots carefully before submitting them.

“There’s 45 locations, and we are a vote center county, which means that if you’re registered to vote in Nueces County, you can go to any vote center,” she said.

And for those worried about time, Sands offered a reminder about Election Day hours.

“Polls open at 7 a.m., close at 7 p.m., and if you’re in line at 7 p.m. when the polls close, you will still be able to cast your ballot as long as you’re in line,” she said.