Early polls open at community center

Early voting polls opened Feb. 21, 22 and 23 at the Prairie View Community Center, located on FM 1098, after a heated controversy and nationally publicized student march spurred the involvement of Waller County officials.

Although hundreds of students marched 7.2 miles to the Waller County courthouse Feb. 19 to vote on the first day of early voting, many were unaware that Waller County officials would open polls less than a mile from the campus just two days later.

However, members of the Student Government Association, who orchestrated the march, were aware that polls would open soon.

"There were multiple reasons for the march," said SGA president Andre Evans.

"We wanted to get students involved in the political process. We wanted them to vote and in addition we wanted a voting poll located on the campus," he said.

Judge Dewayne Charleston agreed with Evans and encouraged students to vote.

"It's extremely important that students don't let the march be in vain," said Charleston.

Debbie Hollan, Waller County elections clerk, said, "They [the Department of Justice] were taking a long time to clear us for this election and our response was to create more early voting polls."

Evans says this emergency meeting was a result of a notice sent to county officials from the Department of Justice after SGA members submitted a letter to the department describing general concerns about the county election process.

"They chose a Friday and Saturday to open the polls and they know these are the days students go home," said Charli Cooksey, a junior political science major.

Evans, echoing her sentiment, expressed his desire to have a poll placed permanently on the campus.

"I'm going to keep trying to get a poll on this campus because I think it will best serve the students," said Evans.

"If they don't consider it a priority, then we'll put someone in office who does," he said.

According to Hollan, the county has 18 voting locations but only one was available during early voting at the courthouse.

After receiving the letter from the Department of Justice, county officials held an emergency meeting Feb. 12 and voted to create three polling sites to open to the public.

Prior to the opening of these polls, Hollan said all 18 would be open for primary voting March 4.

As a result of opening the polls, the number of locations would change. Hollan said this is due to limited resources.

"There's an advisory from the secretary of state that says you should not reuse equipment from early voting during primary voting," Hollan said.

County Judge Owen Ralston said, "If there should be any fault at all, it should be that we didn't convey the information to the students properly."

Ralston added that leaders of the march also had a responsibility to inform students of the polls opening.

Despite the large amount of media attention, both negative and positive, Ralston said he does not feel that a negative shadow has been cast on Waller County officials and instead commended students for their performance at the courthouse.

"They were very respectful and courteous," said Ralston.

"And we welcomed the opportunity to communicate with students and clear up a lot of things. There's a need to work directly with students and not have those in between agents who may have different agendas," he said.

Primary voting will be held March 4 at the community center.