By Michael Freeman, Managing Editor
On election day, local voters will have more than 30 polling places available to them in Taylor County. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m Nov. 4.
“This is an important election because it’s this year’s election,” said Neal Coates, assistant professor of political science. “John McCain and Barack Obama are fairly different. People will have a choice to make.”
Leading up to next Tuesday, the professors in the Department of Political Science have been working to inform students about the candidates’ stances on issues and directed several students to work on Election Day with the election judge who will be in charge of the polling place at Hillcrest Church of Christ.
“Whether it’s civic education or education about the candidates, we try to fulfill that for the university’s students,” Coates said.
Thirty-five tentative polling places will be located in the Abilene area, according to www.taylorcountytexas.org. They include local elementary schools, recreation centers and churches. Some schools that plan to have places available for people to vote are Dyess Elementary School at 402 Delaware Road, Johnston Elementary School at 3602 N. 12th St. and Bowie Elementary School at 1733 S. 20th St. Some churches that will have polling places include Southern Hills Church of Christ at 3666 Buffalo Gap Road, Hillcrest Church of Christ at 650 E. Ambler Ave., First Baptist Church at 302 Hickory St., Highland Church of Christ at 425 Highland Ave. and University Church of Christ at 733 E.N. 16th St. Other places include Sears Park Recreation Center at 2250 Ambler Ave. and Southwest Pools & Spas at 8225 Buffalo Gap Road. For a complete list, see www.taylorcountytexas.org.
Jared Perkins, freshman political science major from Waco, said he will be working as an election worker at Hillcrest Church of Christ on Election Day.
“I feel like I should get involved and do more than just vote but to also be active in our democratic process,” Perkins said.
Official polling locations will not be available until Nov. 1. To view official places to vote, log on to the Texas Secretary of State’s Web site at www.sos.state.tx.us and click on the Election and Voter Information tab. There, viewers can search locations by entering their voter registration certificate, their Texas driver’s license number or their name.
