Changes to polling places will shape primary election

Published 7:00 pm Saturday, August 11, 2012

With the primary elections coming up on Tuesday, Austin residents can expect to see a few changes from previous years.

The polling locations themselves will be different for some voters, following a change to the Ward 3 Precinct 1 location, which has moved from the gym at Woodson School to the Mower County Senior Center.

Redistricting earlier this year means some Austin residents are now in a different ward than they were during the 2010 elections. The northern tip of Austin, made up of everything north of Todd Park along County Highway 16, is now Ward 3 Precinct 1. The 270 people living in that area were formerly part of Ward 1.

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An eight-block area in southwest Austin has also switched wards. The area between Second and Fourth avenues SW, from Fourth Street to Eighth Street, is now Ward 2 instead of Ward 1. About 310 people live in that area.

This year, the primary election will narrow the run down to two candidates for both mayor and City Council member Ward 1, and two for both county commissioner District 1 and county commissioner District 2. Six candidates for Austin Public Schools Board will remain.

The ballot also allows voters to pick a candidate for U.S. senator and U.S. Representative District 1, and both a Supreme Court Chief Justice and an Associate Justice 4.

The polls for Austin residents will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for both the primary and general elections. Other locations vary by city and township.