Early voting for runoff election ends today

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Early voting for the Dec. 12 runoff election began Monday with the polls open through 5 p.m. today.
Place 6 on the Copperas Cove city council will be decided in the runoff.
During the first three days of early voting, 225 Copperas Cove voters made their way to the polls, which are located at the former Coryell County Annex, at 201 S. 2nd St. 
In the November 7 election, John A. Hull and E. Marc Payne were nearly tied in a three-way race, with Hull receiving 524 votes, or 40.59 percent and Payne receiving 518 votes, or 40.12 percent. Fellow candidate Danny Palmer received 249 votes, or 19.29 percent. 
Both candidates in the runoff have lived in the area for decades, with Hull being a lifelong resident of the area and Payne having lived in Copperas Cove for more than 40 years.
Payne is a board member of the Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful Commission, and former board chair of the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation.
Hull previously served as both Coryell County judge and commissioner, served on the CCISD board of trustees, and is both a past city councilman and former Copperas Cove mayor. 
Voting on Tuesday, December 12, will take place at the polls from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.