Election Day on Saturday
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Voting picked up on Monday as area residents took advantage of the first of two days of extended voting in local municipal, school and special elections.

Early voting ended on Tuesday and Election Day is this Saturday, May 10. Voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the city of Wharton, voters can cast their ballots at the Wharton Civic Center.

In East Bernard, voters can cast their ballots in the city, school and special Emergency District elections at the East Bernard Library.

In addition, residents of the El Grove area, designated as ISD district 2 on your voter registration card, can vote in the EBISD election at the Elm Grove Community Center.

The El Campo voting election for the city and school board is the Fire/EMS building.

Those residents of the Glen Flora area, ECISD voting district 2, can vote in the school board election at the Glen Flora Fire Station. Through the end of voting on Monday, a total of 151 votes had been cast in Wharton.

Of those, 54 were turned in on Monday. In East Bernard, the total was 190 with 58 votes on Monday. In El Campo, a total of 1,048 votes had been cast through Monday with 174 coming that day.

In Wharton, the only contested race is that for mayor with Domingo Montalvo Jr. vying for the spot against David Samuelson. Incumbent Mayor Bryce Kocian chose not to run for reelection.

The East Bernard ISD election features a contested race between Roland Orsak and Terry Hlavinka for Position 1 while the city's only contested race is for mayor between Wayne Robinson and Incumbent Buck Boettcher.

The city is also holding a special election on the adoption of a local sales and use tax at onefourth of one percent to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets.