NEWS
Nearly 30% Montague County voters cast ballots early
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
After nearly two years of build-up the mid-term general elections arrive on Nov. 8 with record voting anticipated across Texas and the nation.
During the months leading up to election day, Texas Secretary of State John Scott has been providing voters with videos and explanations of how the voting process works in Texas, all in an effort to quell any concerns by voters.
As early voting came to an end, Scott offered a couple of reminders for those who will arrive at the polls on election day. Those items can be accessed at the SOS website at sos.state.tx.us.
• Once you get to your polling place, you have to show an ID to get checked in – bring any one of seven approved forms of photo ID, and learn what you can bring if you don’t have and can’t reasonably obtain one.
• Remember the ground rules when you’re going to the polls – once you cross the 100-foot marker outside the polling place, you cannot wear hats, T-shirts, buttons or anything else relating to a candidate or measure on the current ballot, and you may not use cell phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, sound recorders, or any device that communicates wirelessly within 100 feet of the voting stations.
“So please, wait until you’re back outside the polling place to take your selfie. Trust me – it can wait,” said Scott.
Voters also can be assured none of the machines that touch a ballot or count it are connected to the internet said Scott. Montague County Elections Administrator Ginger Wall concurred and said only the pollbook is connected to the internet where a voter checks in to verify their address in the county and that the person is a registered voter.
This is the voter’s first contact at the polling location and is most often where the poll worker takes the driver’s license and swipes it to verify the information.
Early voting ended at 5 p.m. on Friday. Wall reported as of 10 a.m. on Friday 4,372 county voters had cast ballots early. This is 29% of the 14,690 registered voters.
Election day poll will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 10 locations across Montague County.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
VOTING LOCATIONS FOR ELECTION DAY, Nov. 8
• Montague County Annex Community
Room, 11339 State Hwy. 59
• Nocona Community Center,
807 U.S. Hwy. 82W
• Saint Jo Civic Center,
101 E. Boggess
• Bowie Bible Baptist Church,
1400 State Hwy. 59N
• Tales ‘N’ Trails Museum,
1522 U.S. Hwy. 82E
• Bowie Public Library, 301 Walnut
• Forestburg Community Center,
16617 FM 455
• Sunset City Hall, 119 FM 1749
• Ringgold Fire Hall,
17832 U.S. Hwy. 81N
• Valley View Baptist Church,
6159 FM 103
Several personnel issues including the superintendent’s summative evaluation and filling the vacant intermediate principal position face the Bowie School Trustees when they meet at 5:30 p.m. on June 16.
The superintendent’s review is usually done in two parts during the year with the summative an effort to evaluate overall progress. Donna Hale’s contract also will be considered. as she marks her first year leading the district.
For the intermediate principal’s job, Jason Childress left the post last month taking the new formed director of student services, which will handle many of the tasks the assistant superintendent handled such as curriculum and test scores. That assistant position was eliminated by the board after Lee Ann Farris left the job. Childress’ resignation has been submitted.
Filling the principal’s job and consideration of a rental agreement for a portion of the bus parking lot property also are set for executive session. Any action all these topics will be considered back in open session.
On the regular agenda, the board will receive the 2025 fiscal audit for Jack County. A small portion of the district runs into that county.
The superintendent will provide operational reports and personnel updates. Childress will present the preliminary STAAR scores and the status of board goals, while Paula Peterson, finance director, gives the monthly financial report.
Numerous annual items will be up for action: Contract for cafeteria software; budget amendments; consider the ESSA application, the Montague and Jack County Tax Appraisal District budgets; library books for the elementary; ESC 9 contracts and a Texas Association of School Boards policy updates.
The board also will consider offering open enrollment for pre-kindergarten students for the next school year.
Six Montague County volunteer fire department have received grants from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The service recently approved $29.3 million in funding for grants to through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
In the fourth funding round of the year, the program awarded 531 grants addressing volunteer fire department requests for personal protective equipment, slip-on units, fire and rescue equipment, water tenders, small brush trucks and training aids.
Nocona Hills Volunteer Fire Department received a $300,000 grant for a water tender vehicle. Montague and Sunset VFDs each received $45,000 for a slip-on unit, and the Nocona rural, Nocona city and Saint Jo VFDs each received $25,000 for fire and rescue equipment.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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