Today is the last day to register to vote in the 2010 March party primaries. On a local level, there are three contested races in each primary.

If you have not registered to vote, click here to download a voter registration card. If you have questions about voter registration call Tax Assessor Collector/Voter Registrar Cheryl Johnson's office at 409-766-2284 or 281-316-8719.

Early voting starts Feb. 16. You can click here (PDF) for a list of polling locations. You can vote at any one of the early voting locations during the early voting period no matter what precinct you are registered to vote in.

Below is a list of who will be on the ballot in the local races in Galveston County, including the candidates for the two congressional seats that represent the county.

Democrats

County Judge: Jim Yarbrough (i)

County Commissioner Pct. 2: Bryan Lamb (i)

District Attorney: Kurt Sistrunk (i)

Treasurer: Pam Schwertner

County Clerk: Brandy Chapman, Douglas Godinich

District Clerk: Latonia Wilson (i)

District Judge 122nd: Rob Johnson

District Judge 212th: Susan Criss (i)

District Judge 36th: Jan L. Yarbrough (i)

Probate Judge: Phil Roberts

County Court Judge No. 1: Mary Nell Crapitto (i)

County Court Judge No. 2: C.G. Trey Dibrell (i), Steve Baker, Suzanne Schwab Radcliffe

County Court Judge No. 3: Roy Quintanilla (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 1: Jim Schweitzer (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Penny Pope (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 3: Sonny James (i), Keith Bell

Justice of the Peace Pct. 4: Mike Nelson (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 5: Darrell Apffel (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 6: Pat Lowry Vondra (i)

State Representative District 23: Craig Eiland (i)

Congress District 14: Jeff Cherry, Winston Cochran and Robert Pruett

Congress District 22: Doug Blatt, Kesha Rogers, Freddie “John” Wieder Jr.

Party Chairman: Lloyd Criss (i)

Republicans

County Judge: Mark Henry

County Commissioner Pct. 2: Joe Giusti, Kevin O’Brien

County Commissioner Pct. 4: Ken Clark (i)

District Attorney: Jack Roady

Treasurer: Kevin C. Walsh (i)

County Clerk: Dwight Sullivan

District Clerk: Tina Longcoy, Jason Murray

District Judge 122nd: John Ellisor (i)

Probate Judge: Kim Sullivan

County Court Judge No. 1: John Grady, George Schilter

County Court Judge No. 2: Barbara Roberts

County Court Judge No. 3: Christopher Dupuy

Justice of the Peace Pct. 7: Mark Foster (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 8, Place 2: James Woltz (i)

State Representative District 23: Gary Wilson

State Representative District 24: Larry Taylor (i)

State Senator District 17: Joan Huffman (i)

Congress District 14: John Gay, Tim Graney, Ron Paul (i), Gerald D. Wall

Congress District 22: Pete Olson(i)

Party Chairman: John R. LeCour (i)

UPDATE: As he suggested he would, Councilman Jim Nelson withdrew the agenda item calling for city elections to be moved to November.

League City council members are scheduled to debate the merits of moving the city’s election date from May to November starting in 2011.

But don’t expect the discussion to last long. The agenda for tonight’s meeting suggests that Councilman Jim Nelson asked for the item to be placed on the agenda. Nelson, however, said he plans on pulling the item from the agenda.
Nelson said the only reason he asked for the debate was to call the rest of council’s bluff on putting proposed charter amendments — including one that would change the form of government in the city — on the May ballot.

“I will be pulling this item unless the rest of the Charter amendments are going to be on the ballot in May,” Nelson said in an e-mail. “This is a slight of hand by the administration, I believe, to negate the council vote of December 2007 when we voted to place four items on the next may ballot and the new council started to delay that and now we still have no vote on the charter amendments.

“So, if we vote on just this issue for a charter amendment on the May ballot the other four amendments cannot be brought to the voters for another two years since the charter can only be changed every two years.”

Even if Nelson’s effort is a ruse, at least one other member of council likes the idea of having city elections in the fall.

“I have indicated my rationale in several workshops over the past three to four years,” Councilman Mike Barber said in an e-mail. “One example of which is that there is a very short time after newly elected officials take their oath of office to finish the budget process that should be well underway.”

The deadline to file for office came and went Monday. What had been expected to be a ho-hum primary season got some excitement when County Court Judge Trey Dibrell tried to withdraw from the Democratic Party primary ballot, but was told he couldn't. So he will be on the ballot with two challengers in March.

Meanwhile, Congressman Ron Paul drew three challengers in his Republican primary race to hold onto his seat.

Below is a list of the candidates running for office in Galveston County, plus those in the congressional, state senate and state representative races that are of interest in the county.

Democrats
County Judge: Jim Yarbrough (i)

County Commissioner Pct. 2: Bryan Lamb (i)

District Attorney: Kurt Sistrunk (i)

Treasurer: Pam Schwertner

County Clerk: Brandy Chapman, Douglas Godinich

District Clerk: Latonia Wilson (i)

District Judge 122nd: Rob Johnson

District Judge 212th: Susan Criss (i)

District Judge 36th: Jan L. Yarbrough (i)

Probate Judge: Phil Roberts

County Court Judge No. 1: Mary Nell Crapitto (i)

County Court Judge No. 2: C.G. Trey Dibrell (i), Steve Baker, Suzanne Schwab Radcliffe

County Court Judge No. 3: Roy Quintanilla (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 1: Jim Schweitzer (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Penny Pope (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 3: Sonny James (i), Keith Bell

Justice of the Peace Pct. 4: Mike Nelson (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 5: Darrell Apffel (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 6: Pat Lowry Vondra (i)

State Representative District 23: Craig Eiland (i)

Congress District 14: Jeff Cherry, Winston Cochran

Congress District 22: Doug Blatt, Kesha Rogers, Freddie “John” Wieder Jr.

Party Chairman: Lloyd Criss (i)

Republicans
County Judge: Mark Henry

County Commissioner Pct. 2: Joe Giusti, Kevin O’Brien

County Commissioner Pct. 4: Ken Clark (i)

District Attorney: Jack Roady

Treasurer: Kevin C. Walsh (i)

County Clerk: Dwight Sullivan

District Clerk: Tina Longcoy, Jason Murray

District Judge 122nd: John Ellisor (i)

Probate Judge: Kim Sullivan

County Court Judge No. 1: John Grady, George Schilter

County Court Judge No. 2: Barbara Roberts

County Court Judge No. 3: Christopher Dupuy

Justice of the Peace Pct. 7: Mark Foster (i)

Justice of the Peace Pct. 8, Place 2: James Woltz (i)

State Representative District 23: Gary Wilson

State Representative District 24: Larry Taylor (i)

State Senator District 17: Joan Huffman (i)

Congress District 14: John Gay, Tim Graney, Ron Paul (i), Gerald D. Wall

Congress District 22: Pete Olson(i)

Party Chairman: John R. LeCour (i)

The 2010 elections are supposed to be some of the hottest on record, but in the county-level races, the Democratic and Republican primaries are on track to see few contested races. Candidates have until Jan. 4 to file to run for office with the respective parties.

2010 party primary candidates

A list of Galveston County candidates who, as of the latest filing information provided by the county’s Democratic and Republican parties, had filed to run in the March primaries.

Democrats

County Judge: Jim Yarbrough*

County Commissioner Pct. 2: Bryan Lamb*

District Attorney: Kurt Sistrunk*

County Clerk: Douglas Godinich

District Clerk: Latonia Wilson*

District Judge 212th: Susan Criss*

District Judge 36th: Jan L. Yarbrough*

Probate Judge: Phil Roberts

County Court Judge No. 1: Mary Neil Crapitto*

County Court Judge No. 2: C.G. Trey Dibrell*

County Court Judge No. 3: Roy Quintanilla*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 1: Jim Schweitzer*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Penny Pope*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Sonny James*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 4: Mike Nelson*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 5: Darrell Apffel*

Justice of the Peace Pct. 6: Pat Lowry Vondra*

Republicans

County Judge: Mark Henry

County Treasurer: Kevin Walsh*

District Attorney: Jack Roady

District Judge 122nd: John Ellisor*

County Court Judge No. 1: John Grady

Justice of the Peace Pct. 7: Mark Foster*

* Incumbent

SOURCES: Galveston County Democratic Party, Galveston County Republican Party

More than 650 Galveston County senior citizens were feted during the first Senior Share gala in Texas City on Wednesday. The highlight of the event was the prize giveaway. More than 10 flat screen television sets, a washer and dryer set, a fully stocked refrigerator and a houseful of furniture were given away.

Event co-founder Kevin Yackly pointed out that giving away so much stuff cost a lot of money, most of which was covered by donations from local businesses and politicians.

Yackly made special note that the political candidates who made donations were all Democrats. He then took a swipe at local Republicans.

"You don't see many Republicans here," Yackly told the crowd. "There's a reason for that. Democrats are caring people."

So does that make Republicans uncaring?

To be sure the number of Dems who attended outnumbered the Republicans. County Judge Jim Yarbrough was the emcee, and District Clerk Latonia Wilson co-founded the event with Yackly. State Rep. Crag Eiland was there, along with Democratic candidates for county clerk Brandy Chapman and Douglas Godinich.

County treasurer candidate Pam Schwertner was also serving up the free meal to senior citizens.

County Commissioners Pat Doyle and Stephen Holmes attended, as did Texas City Mayor Matt Doyle. Galveston County Democratic Party Chairman Lloyd Criss was front and center as was County Sheriff Freddie Poor.

Most of the donated items that were not from businesses were from Democratic candidates.

There was a Republican sighting, though; District Court Judge Lonnie Cox was there.

I asked Yackly if he asked any Republicans to participate. His answer was not clear.

"I asked anyone who would listen to help out," he said.

With the next round of local political campaigns already in full swing, political candidates are often at these types of events to shake hands and get their names out to the voters.

Such a large event for senior citizens (the most diehard voters among the electorate) would seem like a no-brainer for any candidate from either party to attend. What isn't clear is if the invites for donations or attendance to Republicans were made or simply got lost in the political mail or if — as Yackly asserted — Republicans are uncaring.

What do you think?

UPDATE: Rasmussen Reports issued a new poll Friday morning, Nov. 13, that now gives Gov. Rick Perry a lead in the race for the Republican nomination for governor with 46 percent of likely Republican voters backing the incumbent while Hutchison, who last month had a slight lead, has 35 percent of the support. The new poll came out after my posting yesterday that referenced the September poll and caused some confusion for readers who clicked the link that took them to the new poll instead of the September poll I referenced.

Again, at the time of the reporting, the most recent poll was from Sept. 17 and had Hutchison with a 2-point lead. That has clearly changed, as Perry's camp was quick to point out to me today. Both Perry and Hutchison are in Galveston to address Republican woman during a political convention this weekend.

Read more from the Nov. 13 poll by clicking here.


Here's the original post about the September poll: The latest Scott Rasmussen poll following the Texas race for governor shows that in the race for the Republican party nomination, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison leads Gov. Rick Perry 40 to 38 percent with about 19 percent of likely Republican voters undecided.

While the Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Republican voters taken in September showed that Hutchison holds a slim lead overall, most of her gains are among moderate Republican voters. Perry’s base comes from those voters who identify themselves as conservative.

The gender base of likely voters is also split with men supporting Perry and women backing Hutchison, the poll found. Both candidates are in Galveston this weekend to address conservative Republican women.

Still, 19 percent of those who responded to the Rasmussen Reports poll said they have not decided whom they will support in the March primary. Less than 3 percent of the voters polled said they would support former Wharton County GOP Chairwoman Debra Medina who entered the gubernatorial race last month.

Read more from the poll by clicking here.

Voters went to the polls in Galveston County to decide on 11 state constitutional amendments, three bond propositions in Santa Fe, lifting restrictions on alcohol sales in Friendswood, three school board positions in Galveston and the board of directors for the Bolivar Peninsula Special Utility District.

For results on the local elections click here.
The final votes were counted by 10:18 p.m.

For results on the state propositions click here.

There were also some election system problems when the polls opened in Galveston County on Tuesday morning. Internet connectivity shut some polls down for almost an hour in some places and remained a problem throughout the day.

At the same time the state's database for registered voters crashed this morning, which also caused voting delays.