Hays County Required To Add New Precincts, 19 Polling Places, Voting Machines And Staff Due To County Growth

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – Hays County Commissioners on Tuesday approved changes to voting precincts that have grown to more than 5,000 registered voters. The changes are required by state statute.

“A voting precinct that has grown to more than 5,000 registered voters must be split up so that there are fewer than 5,000 in each precinct,” Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson said. “We must review the precincts in March and April of every odd-numbered year and redraw voting precinct boundaries so that the new precincts are in effect for November elections.”

Anderson noted that the change is not related to legislative redistricting, which looks at general population changes to redraw congressional, county, and local jurisdiction lines. Voters who find themselves in new voting precincts may see changes to their previous polling places, and political parties may need to hold additional caucuses.

The law also requires that existing physical boundaries be used to make the new precincts, so roads, rivers, and municipality boundaries, etc., must be used to create the new precincts. The Elections Office worked closely with the County’s mapping department over several months to determine new precinct lines.

The precincts being split are 113 (adding 114 and 115), 120 (adding 121, 122, 123 and 126), 127 (adding 128), 129 (adding 130 and 220), 221 (adding 222), 224 (adding 227 and 235), 228 (adding 231 and 233), 336 (adding 340), 337 (adding 338), 443 (adding 446), and 444 (adding 445 and 448).

Anderson estimated that the County will need to add between 70 and 150 voting machines as well as staff for the additional 19 polling places, with the amount dependent on the election being held.

Maps of the new voting precincts are available on the County’s website. Anyone with questions about the precinct change can contact the Elections Office at 512-393-7310 or email elections@co.hays.tx.us.

New voter registration cards for registered voters affected by the change will be mailed out prior to the November 2019 elections.