Early voting begins today for 2018 election

Milam County voters will elect a new county judge this November along with voting for several statewide offices.

The race for county judge is the only contested race for a county office. Democrat Jared Melde will take on Republican Steve Young to replace County Judge David Barkemeyer.

A county proposition to adopt a flood control tax and farm-to-market and lateral roads tax not exceeding a combined 30 cents on each $100 valuation is also on the ballot.

Commissioners voted 4-1 to put the adoption of a Farm-to-Market and Flood Control Property Tax rate on the November ballot in June. County Judge David Barkemeyer abstained from voting.

The RFM election will give the county authority to levy a tax of up to 30 cents for use on county roads or for flood control issues. This would be in addition to the 80-cent maximum the county can already levy. Meaning if the measure passes the tax rate could go up to $1.10.

Barkemeyer said the RFM election has nothing to do with the current tax rate increase and that voting for the RFM does not mean the county is increasing taxes to the $1.10 limit. If county voters approved the measure, it will go into effect for the 2020 budget.

Early voting for the Nov. 6 general election will begin Oct. 22 and run through Nov. 2.

Early voting locations and times in Milam County are: Milam County Clerk’s Office, 107 W. Main in Cameron – Oct. 22-26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Buckholts Community Center, 110 W. Main St. in Buckholts – Oct. 22-26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Rockdale Regional Juvenile Justice Center, 696 N. FM 487 in Rockdale – Oct. 22-26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Thorndale VFW, 304 E. Moerbe in Thorndale - Oct. 22-26from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Polling locations for Nov. 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. are Milam County Courthouse, 102 South Fannin in Cameron; Buckholts Community Center, 110 West Main in Buckholts; Rockdale Regional Juvenile Justice Center, 696 N. FM 487 in Rockdale; Cameron Community Center, 704 W. 6th Street in Cameron; Gause Volunteer Fire Department, 102 Main Street in Gause; Milano Volunteer Fire Department,  305 East Main (Hwy 79) in Milano; Rockdale George Hill Patterson Center, 609 Mill Street in Rockdale; and Thorndale VFW, 302 Moerbe Street in Thorndale.

Candidates and races to be decided are (in ballot order): 

State Senator 

Ted Cruz (R) 

Beto O’Rourke (D)

Neal M. Dikeman (LIB)

US Representative District 17

Bill Flores (R)

Rick Kennedy (D)

Peter Churchman (LIB)

Governor

Greg Abbott (R)

Lupe Valdez (D)

Mark Jay Tippetts (LIB)

Lieutenant Governor

Dan Patrick (R)

Mike Collier (D)

Kerry Douglas McKennon (LIB)

Attorney General

Ken Paxton (R)

Justin Nelson (D) 

Michael Ray Harris (LIB)

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Glenn Hegar (R)

Joi Chevalier (D)

Ben Sanders (LIB)

Commissioner of the General Land Office

George P Bush (R)

Miguel Suazo (D)

Matt Pina (LIB)

Commissioner of Agriculture

Sid Miller (R)

Kim Olson (D)

Richard Carpenter (LIB)

Railroad Commissioner

Christi Craddick (R)

Roman McAllen (D)

Mike Wright (LIB)

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2

Jimmy Blacklock (R)

Steven Kirkland (D)

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4

John Devine (R)

R.K. Sandill (D)

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6

Jeff Brown (R)

Kathy Cheng (D)

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals

Sharon Keller (R)

Maria T. (Terri) Jackson (D)

William Bryan Strange III (LIB)

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7

Barbara Parker Hervey (R)

Ramona Frankline (D)

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8

Michelle Slaughter (R)

Mark Ash (LIB)

State Senator, District 5

Charles Schwertner (R)

Meg Walsh (D)

Amy Lyons (LIB)

State Representative, District 20

Terry M. Wilson (R)

Stephen M. Wyman (D)

Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals, Place 2

Cindy Olson Bourland (R)

Edward Smith (D)

Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals, Place 3

Scott Field (R)

Chari Kelly (D)

Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals, Place 5

David Puryear (R)

Thomas J. Baker (D)

Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals, Place 6

Michael “Mike” Toth (R)

Gisela D. Triana (D)

County Judge

Steve Young (R)

Jared Melde (D)

District Clerk 

Karen Berry (R)

County Clerk 

Jodi Morgan (R)

Sheriff, Unexpired term

Chris White (R)

County Treasurer

Linda Acosta (R)

County Commissioner, Precinct 2

Donald R. Shuffield (R)

County Commissioner, Precinct 4

Jeff Muegge (D)

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1

Greg Hoelscher (R)

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2

Sam Berry (R)

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3

Andy Isaacs (R)

Justice of the Peace Precinct 4

Gary Northcott (R)

For more information or a sample ballot please visit http://milamcounty.net/elections.html