Candidates creatively make their final pitches to voters
Fri, 2016-02-19 05:00
News Staff
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
With the Republican and Democratic primary election less than two weeks away, local candidates have been making some creative, final pitches for votes in their favor during this first week of early voting.
Up at the county seat in Gatesville, candidate for Coryell County sheriff Scott Williams made an appearance—or rather, a life-size cardboard figure of Williams standing in a pickup truck located not far from the annex serving as a polling place.
Likewise in Copperas Cove, Butch Ronne, who is also running for county sheriff, has a small antique car parked across the street from the polling place at the Copperas Cove annex. On the front seat of the car is a large campaign sign. By state law, all candidates and those helping candidates campaign for votes, must remain a minimum of 100 feet away from the outside door of a premises for a polling place.
Other candidates are taking an in-person role, like county sheriff candidate Clayton Williams and county commissioner precinct 1 candidate Samuel Thorpe Jr., who spent time near their signs on the other side of Avenue D from the Copperas Cove annex. The pair waved at potential voters passing by, with Thorpe spending both Tuesday and Wednesday outdoors in the sunny weather.
Thorpe has also taken to social media, as has county commissioner candidate precinct 4 candidate Marla Thompson, creating short on-the-spot videos and posting them online, reminding voters to head to the polls. Thompson also spent time outdoors, waving at voters and hold her sign in Gatesville.
Ray Ashby, running for county commissioner precinct 4, and Kyle Matthews, running for county commissioner precinct 1, are teaming up at Dairy Queen at 206 N. 1st St. to hold a meet and greet from noon until 2 p.m. tomorrow.
Also from noon until 2 p.m. tomorrow, Samuel Thorpe Jr. will be serving up pulled pork, baked beans and potato salad for donations as the candidate hosts a fund raiser for the Copperas Cove Soup Kitchen at 201 N. 1st St., almost across the street from Dairy Queen.
During the first two days of early voting, a total of 842 voters made their decisions for races on the county, state and national level.
A total of 342 Copperas Cove voters went to the polls during the first two days of early voting, with 500 voters from Gatesville also casting votes. Combined with 263 mail-in ballots received, the total during the first two days of early voting is 1,105.
Polls are also open today through 5 p.m., and reopen on Monday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Polls will have extended hours on Tuesday, 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., with three more days of voting Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
County polling places during early voting are at the county annexes, at 201 S. 2nd St. in Copperas Cove and at 801 E. Leon St. in Gatesville.