The nation is one week away from Election Day, and early voting numbers in Nueces County have been increasing as thousands of registered voters head to the polls.
"It’s good that we’re able to do this and to contribute to what we think is important," voter, Otha Barcus, said.
The second week of early voting kicked off on Monday. Many voters attributed their heading to the polls to convenience. Others said they didn’t want to wait until the last minute, including those reflecting on the importance of voting for minority communities.
“We thank God that as African Americans, we’re able to vote at this time," Barcus added. "And I really think the most important thing about voting right now is freedom. We are voting for freedom.”
As of Monday morning, Nueces County Clerk's Office reported first week early voting numbers showed more than 53,593 registered voters submitted their ballots from a total of 218,856. That’s close to a 27% outcome of all voters in the county. In 2020, that number in the first week was 43,325 with more than 211,415 registered voters in the county.
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center and Veterans Memorial High School are two polling locations with the most ballots from registered voters. In total, there are
This election has also seen an increase in young and first-time voters.
“It’s important that younger generations get out and vote so we can have our voice heard more," first-time voter Matthew Flores said. "It’s one thing just to talk about it, but it’s another thing to actually put your vote out there and try to do something about it.”
KRIS 6 News Political Analyst Dr. David Smith said he’s seen growth in the amount of registered voters in Nueces County compared to the last election in 2020. Although 2024 early voting numbers seem to be a promising turnout so far, he still thinks Nueces County is behind with registered voters who are actually going to the polls.
“The reasons behind it, some of it could be apathy. Some of it could be that voters aren’t ready to make a decision of commit. Some of this, the growth that we’re seeing may not be democrats that are turning out, it could be republicans that are turning out early to vote this time because they’re being encouraged to," Smith said.
He added this General Election may see more women voters and even more white male voters. However, he said there’s still a gap in the amount of Black and Latino voters casting their ballot.
"Those voters are not turning out at the same rate that we’re seeing the older, White Republican voter turnout,"Smith explained. "That’s a little bit concerning for the party, but I think we could see more of them turning out on election day or in this second week of early voting, depending on the state we’re in.”
This election cycle, more voters said they're examining candidates, the policies they support, and how they will impact the future.
“It’s extremely important this election cycle to have the right folks in the office to lead our future forward," voter, Ruben Barrera, added. "So, it’s one of the most important decisions we can make.”
If you haven't already, you still have eight days to cast your ballot.
Early voting ends Friday, November 1. Election Day is November 5.
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