COUNTY LIFE
Montague County election officials feels confident about mail-in voting
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
With all the election pandering surrounding mail-in ballots for the upcoming general election, Montague County Elections Administrators Ginger Wall said she feels confident they will be able to process the ballots in a timely fashion; however, she encourages those planning to apply to do so as soon as possible before the Oct. 23 deadline.
As many states still battle high COVID-19 infection rates, citizens wonder if they can safely go to the polls and vote in November. In turn, if they vote by mail, will their ballots arrive in time if there are slowdowns in the post office?
Before the pandemic struck in March within the United States only five states – Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington – conducted their elections using a vote-by-mail system. Though all states allow voters to vote by mail in certain circumstances, before the pandemic, 16 states required voters to provide reasons for their preferences before the application was approved.
All voters in at least 43 states will be able to vote by mail in the November elections as absentee voting was expanded for safety reasons during the pandemic. Some 34 states had absentee voting prior to the pandemic, allowing any voters to vote by mail without requiring an excuse. An additional nine states have either dropped the excuse requirement or added concerns about COVID-19 to be a valid reason.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton informed county election officials in June fear of contracting COVID-19 is not a valid disability for the purposes of receiving a ballot by mail.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News. Also read a story about the history of voting in America that began with a voice vote at the courthouse and now often uses a digital tablet.
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12 in the County Courtroom at the Courthouse Annex in Montague.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider issuing a proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month within Montague County.
The court also will consider accepting $850 in unanticipated revenue for the sheriff’s office generated during National Night Out activities, alongside interlocal cooperation contracts between the Texas Department of Public Safety and Justices of the Peace for Precincts 1 and 2.
An executive session is scheduled to discuss personnel matters pertaining to sewer/septic inspector for the county. Any action would be taken back in open session.
The Oct. 9-11 Art of the Song Music and Art Festival opens Friday night for three days of art and entertainment in downtown Nocona.
The festival opens on Oct. 9 with a Chisholm Trail Art Association Preview Party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the H.J. Justin Building.
Come see all the entries for the adult show, which formally opens at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10.
Live music will be played by Full Circle Band.
Also on Oct. 9 enjoy a Nocona Nights Street Dance from 7 to 9 p.m. with the Mark Murphey and Highway 82 Band. Cost is $10 per ticket and $200 for a table seating eight. Bring your lawn chairs.
Read the full schedule of events for the festival in your Thursday Bowie News.
These students are nominees for the 2026 homecoming court at Gold-Burg High School. Homecoming royals will be crowned in pre-game ceremonies before the Bears take on Throckmorton at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Pictured are: Freshmen: Kenzley Foster and Jackson Allen, freshmen; Yareli Aguirre and Jojuan Grace, sophomores; Zara Andrade, junior and Brayden Odom, Kaylie Duncan, both seniors. Not pictured: Caleb Epperson, junior and Keelyn Case, senior.
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