Leander Residents Head To Polls As Early Voting Begins

LEANDER, TX -- Early voting for the upcoming May 7 general election started on Thursday throughout Central Texas, including Leander where a four-part bond referendum is be decided by voters as well as some key council races.

Several council positions are up for grabs, save for Place 3, where Shanan Shepherd is running unopposed to retain the Place 3 seat.

Not so for Place 1 and Place 5, however, where seats are contested. The Place 1 seat is being sought by Andrea Navarrette and Dan Michie, while the Place 5 seat is being pursued by Phil Contatore and Jeff Seiler.

Leander also has an ambitious set of bond referendums on the ballot, with four different propositions covering quality-of-life amenities ranging from development of parks and streets to construction of a senior center and recreational facility.

Voters will get to decide on four different propositions:

• The first proposition calls for street Improvements. Voters will decide whether or not to authorize the city to issue bonds not to exceed $22 million, the proceed of which would go toward street repair and improvements to a number of streets. The arteries targeted for improvement are tbe Metro Drive Extension Project; Raider Way & East Woodview Drive Project; North Brushy Street (Streetscape Project); East Street Roadway Project; San Gabriel Parkway Extension Project; West South St. at S. West St. Intersection Project Projects and improvements would include paving, engineering, the acquisition of rights-of-way, the relocation of utility lines, drainage, curbs, gutters, landscaping and sidewalks.
• Proposition 2 calls for parks development. Voters are being asked to approve the issuance of bonds in an amount not to exceed $26.6 million for acquisition of property and development of city parks and the improvement of existing city parks.
• Prop 3 centers on construction of a long-envisioned recreation center for Leander residents. Voters will decide whether another $18 million in municipal debt should be incurred through bond issues intended to finance construction of the envisioned rec center.
• Prop 4 calls for issuing another $4.2 million for construction of a senior center. The amount would cover land acquisition, construction and equipping of the center.

Early voting on these issues runs from April 25 to May 3.

Those wanting to cast votes are required to present of the seven approved forms of photo ID when voting in person:

• Texas driver license issued by Texas DPS
• Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
• U.S. Military identification card containing the person's photograph
• U.S. citizenship certificate containing the person's photograph
• U.S. passport

For exemptions, visit the Texas Department of Public Safety website by clicking here.

For a list of polling places in Leander and their hours of operation, click here.