On Tuesday, voters will cast their ballots for national, state and local elections, including deciding who will be the next Hays County sheriff. A county-wide transportation bond for $440 million is also on the table.
You can find a sample ballot on the county website. Here's what you need to know to vote in Hays County.
(If you live in Travis County, check out this guide. If you live in Williamson County, check out this guide.)
What’s on my ballot?
Hays County Sheriff
After 14 years in office, Republican Sheriff Gary Cutler decided not to seek re-election. Democrat Alex Villalobos and Republican Anthony Hipolito are vying to fill the open position.
The sheriff’s office has been at the forefront of issues concerning local school districts, including launching a campaign for fentanyl awareness and dealing with violent threats to campuses. The office also oversees school resource officers and licensed officers assigned to a school district or campus.
KUT News asked the candidates where they stand on these school safety issues. Here’s what they said.
Hays County Proposition A
A $440 million bond is on the ballot to build and improve roadways throughout the county. County officials say the region is expected to double in population by 2045. They hope these 31 projects across multiple cities will help ease congestion and improve road safety, especially on roads leading to Interstate 35.
Some residents have expressed concerns about the bond. The group Hays Coalition for a Better Bond is asking voters to reject Prop A because group members believe the bond package was rushed and may threaten the environment. Members of the group filed a lawsuit against county officials in hopes of voiding the results of the election.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said the county is being mindful of environmental impacts and needs the bond to address infrastructure needs for the county. He believes having the proposition on the November ballot will reach the most voters.
“When folks are asking for the bond to be moved to another election cycle, like a May election, I'm vehemently against it,” he said. “There will never be a better time to get more community engagement than on a presidential cycle.”
The road bond would add a total of $0.02 per $100 valuation to the county tax rate, which was set at $0.35 cents per $100 valuation for the 2025 fiscal year by the Hays County commissioners in Sept.
San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Proposition A
San Marcos CISD is looking to offset its $17.2 million deficit going into the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Central Texas school districts have had money troubles and some have eliminated positions or raises to reduce costs.
Voters will decide whether the district's tax rate for maintenance and operations will increase to $1.0152 per $100 valuation. The current voter-approved tax rate is $0.9952.
District officials say funding for educational expenses has not kept up with inflation. If the proposition is approved, the district calculates it would generate an additional $2.8 million for schools.
San Marcos Races
San Marcos voters are electing a new mayor and two new City Council members this November. Mayor Jane Hughson has been in the position for six years and served as a City Council member for 10 years prior.
She is seeking reelection for a fourth term and is challenged by Juan Miguel Arredondo, who previously ran against Hughson in 2020. Community Impact published a Q&A with the candidates.
San Marcos voters will also decide on council members for Place 5 and Place 6.
The Place 5 incumbent, Mark Gleason, has held his position since 2020 and is not seeking reelection. Four candidates are vying for his position. Here’s where they stand on several local issues, according to what they told Community Impact.
The Place 6 incumbent, Jude Prather, has served three terms in office and is not seeking reelection. Two candidates are vying for his position. Here’s where they stand on several local issues, according to what they told Community Impact.
Am I registered to vote?
Before you head to the polling station, make sure you’re registered to vote. You can check your registration status using the Texas Secretary of State’s My Voter Portal. The deadline to register for this election was Oct. 7.
Where and when can I vote?
Hays County polling locations are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you’re in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day, you cannot be denied a ballot.
You can vote at any polling place in the county. The full list of locations can be found on the county's website.
You can also check live wait times below. (If the map doesn't appear correctly, try refreshing the page or clicking here.)
Don’t forget your ID
Everyone who votes will need photo identification. Here is the list of accepted forms of ID:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas election identification certificate
- Texas personal identification card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military identification card that includes the person’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate that includes the person’s photograph
- U.S. passport
Voters' IDs should be up to date, but they can be expired for up to four years. Voters 70 or older can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time.
If you had trouble getting an ID ahead of this election and don’t have one, here are the accepted alternatives:
- government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- certified domestic birth certificate or court-admissible birth document
All of these documents can be either a copy or the original. If you use one of these, you’ll have to sign a form that says you had a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.
What if I want to vote by mail?
In Hays County, the deadline to apply to vote by mail was Oct. 25. Applications should be received in the Elections Office by that date (not postmarked).
Registered voters in Texas can vote by mail if they:
- will be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting;
- are sick or disabled;
- are 65 or older on Election Day;
- are confined in jail, but eligible to vote; or
- are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
You can print and complete an application here in English.
Once you get your mail-in ballot, there are some extra deadlines you should keep in mind to make sure your ballot is received on time:
- Postmarked: Nov. 5 by 7 p.m.
- Post received: Nov. 6 by 5 p.m.
- In-person received: Nov. 5 by 7 p.m.
If you hand deliver your mail-in ballot to the county elections office, you will need to show a photo ID.
Hays County has a guide for filling out your application to vote by mail and the overall process.
