Heavy turnout at the polls during first two days of early voting in Copperas Cove

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

The line stretched through the parking lot at the Copperas Cove Civic Center on Tuesday, as early voting for the Nov. 3 election opened. 

At times, the parking lot was filled, as well as the overflow parking, with some voters having to park near City Park’s duckpond. 

During the first day of early voting, a total of 1,249 visited the polls in Copperas Cove, with a total of 2,029 countywide, plus 1,272 mail-in ballots received. 

After the polls closed on Wednesday, a total of 3,642 had cast ballots in Coryell County, with a total of 1,500 mail-in ballots received as well. 

Early voting continues next week, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. except for Tuesday, Oct. 20 and Tuesday, Oct. 27, when polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. 

Early voting takes place at the Copperas Cove Civic Center or at the Gatesville Civic Center, 303 Veterans Memorial Loop, Gatesville.

In Copperas Cove, Place 6 and Place 7 for the Copperas Cove city council are on the ballot. 

Place 6 is a four-way race, with incumbent Marc Payne facing off against fellow candidates Terri Deans, Vonya Hart, and Gary Kent. 

There must be more than 50 percent of the votes for the top vote-getter to be a winner in the Nov. 3 election. Otherwise, there will need to be a runoff election. 

For Place 7, Jack Smith is the incumbent and there were no other candidates who filed for that office. 

For more information about city council candidates and sample ballots, visit the Leader-Press’ Election 2020 webpage at https://www.coveleaderpress.com/election-2020. 

Copperas Cove voters who reside in Lampasas County may vote at the Lampasas County Annex, located at 409 S. Pecan St. Suite 102, Lampasas. 

Early voting for Copperas Cove voters who reside in Bell County can be done at the Harker Heights Parks & Recreation Center, 307 Millers Crossing; the Bell County Annex, 304 Priest Dr., Killeen; Killeen Community Center, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd.; Bell County Annex, 205 East Central Ave., Temple; or Salado Church of Christ, 217 North Stagecoach.

Coryell County races for positions up for election had only Republican candidates, so all of the following offices were decided in the March primary, to include Coryell County Sheriff, Coryell County Attorney, Coryell County Commissioner Precinct 1 and Precinct 3, Coryell County Constables for Precincts 1-4; and Coryell County Tax Assessor-Collector. 

In state level races, for the Texas State Representative, District 59, Shelby Slawson unseated incumbent J.D. Sheffield; and in the race for District 24 of the Texas Senate, incumbent Sen. Dawn Buckingham faces Democratic candidate Clayton Tucker. 

U.S. House of Representatives District 25 incumbent Roger Williams is faced by Democratic candidate Julie Oliver.