Political happenings

Early voting about to wrap up

Early voting for the Nov. 7 general election begins on ends on Nov. 3.

Locations in Smith County include the Smith County Courthouse Annex, 200 E. Ferguson St., Noonday Community Center, 16662 CR 196; Whitehouse United Methodist Church, 405 W. Main St., Whitehouse; Lindale Masonic Lodge, 200 Margaret St., Lindale; and the Heritage Building, 1900 W. Bellwood Road.

Times at these locations are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Nov. 3.

Other early voting sites in East Texas include:

* Cherokee County: in Rusk at Cherokee County Courthouse; in Jacksonville at Senior Citizens Building; in Alto at Smith United Methodist Church. Early voting also will be available from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 24 at Bullard Middle School.

Bullard's half-cent sales tax

Early voting by personal appearance will be conducted each day at Bullard City Hall 114 S. Phillips St. Bullard 75757 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Voting by personal appearance will be held on Nov. 7 from 7: a.m. to 7 p.m.

Bullard citizens will vote on a half-cent sales tax proposition, placed on the general election ballot. The proposition is the adoption of a 4B sales and use tax to "undertake projects as described in the 4B section of article 5190.6 Texas Government Code."

According to the state comptroller's office - which oversees the collection and distribution of the tax - use of the money includes, but isn't limited to: projects for streets, roads, drainage, and other related transportation system improvements, water and sewer facilities, public parks, and park facilities and events, sports facilities including stadiums and ball parks, auditoriums, projects related to entertainment, convention, tourist and exhibition facilities, amphitheaters, concert halls, open space improvements, learning centers, municipal buildings, museums and related stores, restaurant, concession, and automobile parking facilities and projects to promote new or expanded business enterprises, including public safety facilities, demolition of existing structures, and general expansion of affordable housing as well as any other improvements or facilities that are related to any of the above projects or will promote new or expanded business enterprises and the maintenance and operations expenses for any of the above described projects.

Election day approaching

Important seats are approaching for the Nov. 7 general election.

Up for election are Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (challenged by Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky), all 32 U.S. representatives, Rep. Gov. Rick Perry (challenged by Democrat Chris Bell and Independents Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn), Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (Democratic challenger Maria Luisa Alvarado), Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott (Democrat challenger David Van Os), the comptroller (open seat, sought by Republican Susan Combs and Democrat Fred Head), Republican Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson (Democratic challenger VaLinda Hathcox), agriculture commissioner (open seat, sought by Republican Todd Staples and Democrat Hank Gilbert), Republican Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth A. Jones (Democratic challenger Dale Henry), all three East Texas state senators. Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, has no Democratic opponent (though Libertarian Jason Albers is on the ballot). Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, also faces only a Libertarian challenger (Dennis Kaptain). Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, is vacating his seat for his run for Agriculture Commissioner. Robert Nichols, who faces no challenger in the November election, won the seat in the Republican Primary.

At the county level, it's all criminal district attorneys, all county judges, all statutory county court judges, all district clerks, all county clerks, all county treasurers, all county surveyors, county commissioners in precincts 2 and 4, and justices of the peace.