Boling ISD will have election in November
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Boling Independent School District is using the resignation of Trustee Bill Ford as an opportunity to get a head start on consolidating its elections with Wharton and Matagorda counties.

In 2006, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1, which included a provision requiring independent school districts to hold joint trustee elections with either the city or county in which the district is located.

While the next county general election is not scheduled until November 2008, Ford's resignation put the district in a position of having to hold a special election to fill the vacancy this year.

"Actually, we're having to make several adjustments," Boling Superintendent Charles Butcher said. "First we had to move from a May to November election date, then we had to extend board member terms and finally we had to change from three-year terms to four-year terms. Since the first board election under the new system will be in 2008, we're looking at this special election as an opportunity to practice. It's going to be a learning experience for us."

Under the previous voting schedule, trustees were elected to three-year terms. Board positions 5, 6 and 7 would have been on the ballot in 2007 with positions 1 and 2 up in 2008 and 3 and 4 in 2009. Under the consolidated election system, candidates will be elected to four-year terms with 5, 6, and 7 elected in 2008 and positions 1-4 elected in 2010.

In his letter of resignation to the district, Ford wrote it was due to a work promotion that would require more of his time. District records show the letter was received on June 22, the same date Ford asked his resignation go into effect.

Ford was elected to position 6 on the Boling board in May 2005 and was in his first term of office. The candidate elected in November will serve out the remainder of Ford's term and will have to run for re-election as part of the regular 2008 board election. Two candidates have filed for a place on the ballot for the special election. They are Jerry Svatek and Shawn Chilek.

Among the biggest changes Boling ISD voters will face will be where they will cast their ballots. In previous elections, Butcher said the district had one voting location for both early voting and election day. In having to consolidate with the two counties, they will have to offer multiple voting locations.

"The idea behind the law was to streamline voting for the public," Butcher said. "People would be able to go and vote in school board and county elections at the same place. In our case, we are having to adapt to the two counties and have multiple voting locations."

Early voting for both the school district and for the state's legislative amendments election will be held Oct. 22 through Nov. 2 with election day on Nov. 6.

Wharton County Elections Administrator Judy Owens said Boling ISD voters will be allowed to vote at any of the three county early voting locations: the Wharton County Annex in Wharton, the East Bernard Library or the EMS building in El Campo. On election day, they will have to vote at their designated voting location. County election precincts that including Boling include 3 and 14, which will vote at the Boling Fire Department; Precinct 13, which votes at Wharton High School; and Precinct 19, which votes at the Wharton Civic Center.

In Matagorda County, early voting for the county and school district will be at the county clerk's office in the Matagorda County Courthouse with Election Day voting at the Pledger Fire Station. Because of the additional voting locations, the school district's election costs will be going up, Butcher said.

"We used to have one voting place and were able to use our own judges," the superintendent said. "While we are sharing the expenses with the counties, it is going to cost us more because of the additional voting locations made necessary by the law."