Early voting for a number of Houston elections began on Monday, and it’s imperative that members of the UH community use the opportunity to get their say in before the moment passes them.
People shouldn’t forego voting just because a presidency or congressional seats aren’t being contested; voting is one of the most potent weapons available to our society, and people too often overlook the necessity of voting in local races.
The early voting, which runs through Nov. 2, covers an array of issues, including city council positions, a major Houston Independent School District bond and the city’s mayoral race among Bill White – who has spent more than $500,000 on his re-election campaign – and outsiders Outlaw Josey Wales IV, a wrestling promoter, and Amanda Ulman, an activist for the Socialist Workers Party.
City-specific elections often suffer from less-than-stellar voting numbers on the part of the electorate, but city issues are some of those that affect us as citizens the most. City candidates have stances on myriad issues, offering alleged solutions on a number of problems plaguing Houston, including staffing shortfalls in the Houston Police Department, growing traffic concerns, perceived problems with HPD’s forensic investigations and flood prevention.
These issues, among many others, are critical to the city’s population and infrastructure. There is little room for any excuse for not voting. The opportunities are plentiful, and constituents who miss the Nov. 2 early voting deadline will have the opportunity to vote on the actual Nov. 6 election day.
Voting locations are plentiful and span the city, and more comprehensive information can be found at www.khou.com/elections. The time for voting is now.
