West U early voting sets record

The seven-day early voting period is complete and 1,211 residents have cast early ballots for the May 6 West University Place Municipal Election.

This does not include mail-in ballots; 163 mail-in ballot applications were received by the West University Place City Secretary Thelma Gilliam. The returned ballots must be postmarked by May 6 to count. Gilliam says that almost all the mail-in ballots are expected to be returned. About half have already been received.

In 2015, 874 early ballots were cast, and 22 mail-in ballots were received, and 1,076 people voted on election day for a total of 1,972.

The 2017 early ballot number is an almost 40% increase compared to the 2015 number and the 2017 mail-in ballots look like a more than 400% increase over 2015.

The largest number of ballots ever cast in a West University Place Municipal Election was in 1993. The drawing card was a continuous mayor’s race between then-Mayor-Pro-Tem Bob Kelly and the eventual winner Bill Watson. The total number of ballots cast in that election was 4,147.

Election day voting is this Saturday, May 6, from 7am-7pm. All residents vote at West University Place City Hall at 3800 University Blvd.

To view the Sample Ballot for the West University Place General Election, click here.