(KDHNEWS>COM) Today’s Election Day ballots contain local races for Cove, Gatesville and Nolanville voters and state constitutional propositions for all state voters.
The Copperas Cove City Council and Nolanville City Council each has contested seats on the ballot, as do the Copperas Cove Independent School District and the Gatesville Independent School District.
Copperas Cove residents will also have a chance to vote on whether to create a Municipal Development District. If it passes, a future vote would be scheduled to dissolve the city’s Economic Development Corporation. Some city officials want the MDD to take the place of the EDC.
Statewide, Texas voters will be able to cast ballots on seven constitutional amendments proposed by the state Legislature.
COPPERAS COVE
Five candidates are seeking two City Council seats in places 6 and 7. Another five candidates will be attempting to fill three positions on the Copperas Cove school board.
For Cove City Council, Place 6, former EDC Chairman Marc Payne faces John Hull, a former Cove mayor, and Danny Palmer, a former council member. Current Councilman George Duncan did not seek re-election for the three-year seat.
For council Place 7, incumbent Matthew Russell will face off against Charles Youngs for the three-year seat.
In the Copperas Cove Independent School Board races, incumbent Bob Weiss will face off against Jeff Gorres in an unexpired term in Place 5, and John Gallen will face incumbent Jim Copeland for a three-year term on Place 6. Karen Harrison is running unopposed for the Place 7 three-year term.
Also in Cove, voters will consider whether to approve a Municipal Development District.
A yes vote on proposition A will create an MDD and the imposition of a sales and use tax at the rate of three-eighth percent for the purpose of financing development projects beneficial to the district. The city would have to hold a separate election to eliminate the EDC and its tax funding should the MDD proposition pass.
NOLANVILLE
Three seats will appear on the Nolanville ballot today; two incumbent council members are unopposed for re-election and one is facing a challenger.
Lynn Bilberry, the incumbent in Seat 5, will face off against former Mayor Dennis K. Biggs. Running unopposed are incumbents Lawrence Butch Reis for Seat 2 and David C. Williams II for Seat 4.
Also on the ballot will be a proposition for residents to cast votes concerning the reauthorization of local sales tax and use tax. The proposition states, “The reauthorization of the local sales and use tax in the city of Nolanville, Texas at the rate of one-quarter of one percent to continue providing revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets. The tax expires on the fourth anniversary of the date of this election unless the imposition of the tax is reauthorized.”
GATESVILLE CITY COUNCIL
The November election for three council seats was canceled, according to documents provided by the clerk. Three residents were unopposed for three seats. David Mitchell will become the Ward 1, Place 1 councilman; Meredith Rainer will be elected as the Ward 1, Place 3 councilwoman; and Ronnie Viss becomes the Ward 2, Place 5 councilman.
GATESVILLE ISD
With three at-large seats to be filled on the Gatesville Independent School District school board, 14 individuals filed as candidates. Katherine Lowrey Sullivant withdrew from the race Oct. 18, citing health issues. Her name will still appear on the ballot, however.
The candidates are Lisbeth Appelman, incumbent; Deborah Crosby Ford, incumbent; Stephen Norris, incumbent; Charles Alderson; Lisa Pruitt Bankhead; Joseph Campbell; Ryan Coggins; Rob Erwin; Tony Fernandez; David Fincher; Stephen Minton; Bruce Thoms and John Westbrook.
STATE PROPOSITIONS
The changes to the Texas Constitution were first proposed by the Legislature through joint resolutions that received a minimum of 100 votes in the House and 21 votes in the Senate. Each amendment must be approved by a majority of voters to pass.
Here’s a look at the amendments:
- Proposition One: If approved, this will allow a partially disabled veteran or surviving spouse to a partial property tax exemption if the home was donated at no cost to the veteran. The percentage of the tax exemption would correlate to the percentage of disability of the veteran.
- Proposition Two: The proposed amendment would ease restrictions on borrowing against home equity, according to the Texas Tribune.
- Proposition Three: Under this proposal, if an unsalaried appointee’s term expires when the Legislature is not in regular session, the person will continue to serve until the next legislative session has ended.
- Proposition Four: Under this proposition, courts would be required to notify the Texas attorney general of any constitutional challenges to state laws.
- Proposition Five: This would expand the definition of a “professional sports team” to allow team-connected foundations to hold charitable raffles.
- Proposition Six: Should voters approve this proposition, surviving spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty would be eligible for a property tax exemption. The spouse would be eligible only if he or she has not remarried. A spouse who moves to a new home would still eligible for an equivalent tax exemption.
- Proposition Seven: Like proposition five, this would allow banks and other financial institutions to hold a raffle or award prizes to encourage savings.
Herald wire services contributed to this report.