FROM STAFF REPORTS

The early voting is over, and a record number of county residents took advantage of the opportunity to cast early ballots ahead of Tuesday’s election.

Palo Pinto County Elections Administrator Judith Evans said 4,437 early ballots were cast during the two-week early voting period, representing one-fourth of the county’s 17,239 registered voters.

She said the county’s elections office has processed another 480 requests for mail in and absentee ballots, and she said she expects a large turnout Tuesday, when the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at polling sites throughout the county.

There are no contested races for county offices up for election this term. Also, there is no election this fall for school districts and the hospital district since none had contested races.

The only contested race of local consequence is that for the District 11 Texas congressional seat  currently occupied by Republican incumbent Mike Conaway. Democrat Mike Riley and Libertarian Scott Ballard are vying for that seat. This district represents Palo Pinto County in the House of Representatives.

Other races on the ballot of significance is, of course, the presidential race between incumbent Democrat Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Many voters in Texas are also focused on the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, with Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Paul Sadler seeking the seat along with Libertarian John Jay Myers and Green Party candidate David B. Collins.

All races on the local ballots are listed below. For more information about Tuesday’s election, and to see a map of the current voting precincts, go to the county elections office.

Texans can check whether they are registered or check the status of their registration by searching online for “Texas SOS am I registered.”

In the following list, candidates appear as they are listed on the ballot. An asterisk denotes an incumbent:

FEDERAL RACES

President and vice president

• Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan (Republican)

• Barack Obama/Joe Biden (Democrat)*

• Gary Johnson/Jim Gray (Libertarian)

• Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala (Green Party)

United States senator

• Ted Cruz (REP)

• Paul Sadler (DEM)

• John Jay Myers (LIB)

• David B. Collins (GRN)

U.S. Rep., Dist. 11

• *Mike Conaway (REP)

• Jim Riley (DEM)

• Scott J. Ballard (LIB)

STATE RACES

Railroad Commissioner

• Christi Craddick (REP)

• Dale Henry (DEM)

• Vivekananda (Vik) Wall (LIB)

• Chris Kennedy (GRN)

Railroad Commissioner, Unexpired Term

• Barry Smitherman (REP)*

• Jaime O. Perez (LIB)

• Josh Wendel (GRN)

Justice, Supreme Court,  Place 2  

• Don Willett (REP)*

• RS Roberto Koelsch (LIB)  

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4

• John Devine (REP)

• Tom Oxford (LIB)

• Charles E. Waterbury (GRN)  

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6

• Nathan Hecht (REP)*

• Michele Petty (DEM)

• Mark Ash (LIB)

• Jim Chisholm (GRN)

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals  

• Sharon Keller (REP)*

• Keith Hampton (DEM)

• Lance Stott (LIB)

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7

• Barbara Parker Hervey (REP)*

• Mark W. Bennett (LIB) 

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8

• Elsa Alcala (REP)*

• William Bryan Strange III (LIB)

Member, State Board of Education, District 14

• Sue Melton (REP)

• Stephen Hawkins (LIB)

State Senator, District 30

• Craig Estes (REP)*

• Richard Wells Forsythe Jr. (LIB)

State Rep., District 60

• James L. “Jim” Keffer (REP)*

Chief Justice, 11th Court of Appeals

• Jim. R. Wright (REP)*

Justice, 11th Court of Appeals District, Place 2, Unexpired Term

• Mike Wilson (REP)

LOCAL RACES

District Judge, 29th Judicial District

• Mike Moore (REP)

District Attorney, 29th Judicial District

• Michael Burns (REP)*

County Attorney

• Phil Garrett (REP)*

Sheriff

• Ira Mercer (REP)*

County Tax Assessor-Collector

• Linda G. Tuggle (REP)*

Depending on your county voting precinct, the following may be on the ballot:

• Commissioner, Pct. 1 – Curtis D. Henderson (REP)

• Commissioner, Pct. 3 – Mike Pierce (REP)*

• Constable, Pct. 1 – Rod Price (REP)*

• Constable, Pct. 2 – Marc Moon (REP)*

• Constable, Pct. 3 – Noah E. Bragg (REP)*

• Constable, Pct. 4 – Bill Blevins (REP)

• Constable, Pct. 5 – Gary F. Morris (REP)*