Early voting under way for Copperas Cove May 4 special elections

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

A total of 984 ballots have been cast during the first four days of early voting in Copperas Cove. Of those, 784 ballots were cast at the Early Voting Center in Cove Terrace Shopping Center, 149 were cast at the portable building set up in the parking lot of H-E-B Plus!, and 51 mail-in ballots have been received so far. 

Polls are open on Friday, April 26 until 7 p.m., with polls open Saturday, April 27  from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Sunday, April 28 from noon until 3 p.m.

Polls will be open Monday and Tuesday, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Early voting continues through April 30 ahead of the May 4 special elections for the City of Copperas Cove and the Copperas Cove Independent School district.

The City of Copperas Cove is filling a Place 5 vacancy on the city council, after the resignation of Manuel Montanez in January. The Place 5 term of office expires in November 2025.

There are four candidates for the position, and one candidate must receive more than a 50 percent majority of the votes to gain the seat. Otherwise, the council would have to call for a runoff election.

The candidates, in alphabetical order, include:

Timothy Traeger is currently a teacher for CCISD, where he has taught for the past eight years. He is a veteran of the United States Army.

Dale Treadway served for more than 20 years in the U.S. Army. Treadway serves on several city boards, to include Planning and Zoning Commission (five years as chair), the Subdivision Technical Advisory Committee; Charter Review Committee; and the Board of Adjustments. He is also on the Bell County WCID#1 Board of Directors and has served on the Chairman of the Appraisal Review Board for Coryell Central Appraisal District.

John N. Valentine III served in the Army for more than 20 years and is the CEO and Founder of the 501C3 nonprofit, Operation Phantom Support. He also operates local businesses to include Phantom Warrior Brewing Company and Black Hawk Brewing Supply.

James Wilson is also a military veteran, and has been a longtime community volunteer for more than 19 years. He volunteers with Meals on Wheels and said he’s called “Coach Wilson” because of his volunteer work. He is studying criminal justice and social work.

The estimated cost for the city’s special election was $4,180, at the time the council called for the election.

CCISD is holding a special election for Proposition A, which is a $175 million bond election to expand and upgrade Copperas Cove High School with more classrooms, a new 2,000-seat cafeteria, as well as changes to the campus’ athletics facilities, and expansion of the band hall.

The district is paying for a portable building to provide an additional voting location for early voting as well as for election day, along with additional voting hours. The district’s special election costs $10,442.30 (portable building cost not included).