Whitney and Aquilla area voters will head to the polls Saturday, May 4, to decide city and school races.
The City of Whitney and Whitney Independent School District will hold a joint election, and voting for both will be at the Whitney ISD Administration Building, located at 305 South San Jacinto Street in Whitney. The polling place will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
For the City of Whitney, the terms of council members Aimee Boswell, Martis Ward and Valery Peacock are expiring this year. Boswell and Peacock filed to retain their seats, and they will be joined on the ballot by Shawntay Owens, Vicki Wilson, Cheryl Taylor-West and Debbie Gregory.
There are three seats available on the Whitney ISD Board of Trustees, with the terms of Charles Buzan, Jason Sneed and Ray Watson expiring. All three incumbents filed to stay on the board, and also filing were Wayne Redding, Connie Terry and Larry Farmer.
Aquilla ISD voters will decide a $12 million bond issue consisting of two separate propositions involving instructional and athletic upgrades. Voters will be able to support one or both propositions. Election day voting will be at the Aquilla Community Center, located at 201 East Treadwell, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The independent propositions include: Proposition A (Instructional) – seven additional instructional classrooms; multipurpose center; additional parking; access drive (asphalt); Proposition B (Athletics) – eight-lane track and field (natural grass); concessions and restrooms at stadium; bleachers/press box/field lighting.
The district’s financial advisor has determined that there would not be a tax rate increase in taxes for Proposition A. If home valuations increase and the tax rate remains constant, homeowners will see a slight tax increase due to the home valuations.
Proposition B would increase the district’s I&S tax rate by 10 cents per $100 valuation, bringing it to $1.21, which was the same tax rate in 2022.
More information about the Aquilla ISD bond proposal is available at aquillaisdbond.com.
Voters are reminded that under Texas law, those who possess one of the seven acceptable forms of photo identification must present that ID at the polls when voting in person.
They include:
• Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
• United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States Passport (book or card)
With the exception of the U.S. Citizenship Certificate, which does not expire, for voters aged 18-69, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired no more than four years before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.
For voters aged 70 or older, the acceptable form of photo identification may be expired for any length of time if the identification is otherwise valid.
Voters who do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of the seven approved forms of photo ID may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and present an alternative form of ID, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check or a voter registration certificate.
For more information about voting in Texas and answers to frequently asked questions, visit http://www.votetexas.gov.
The Lakelander 