TSC RUNOFF EARLY VOTING TURNOUT TRUDGING ALONG

Whether it's the type of courses that are offered, the development of the local workforce to prepare them (and our region) for the future, the collaboration with our neighbor to the south and its industry, the cost of tuition for its students, the quality of their education, and the future quality of life for everyone in South Texas, your vote will make a difference.

That's why it's so discouraging for some people to see see that in the first four days (Monday-Friday), only 664 voters had gone to the six early voting locations throughout the district to cast their votes (Click graphic to enlarge). If the trend continues, the remaining four days will yield another 650 votes to make the early votes cast total a little over 1,300. 

If statistics hold true, some 65 percent of the total vote (not including mail-in and election day) is cast in the early-voting period. A rough calculation indicates that at this rate, the total vote would come to a little over 2,000 (2,076).

That is, unless there is a surge of voting between now and June 23, election day.

Incumbent Dr. Rey Garcia is facing challenger J.D. De Leon. In the primary election vote May 5, there was only a 54-vote difference between Garcia and De Leon with Garcia getting 2,312 to 2,258 for De Leon. Percentage wise  Garcia got 35.3 to De Leon's 34.5 percent. The other candidate, Carlos Rios got 30.1 percent.

If ever a vote counted for an office important to this area, this vote may be it.