(Seguin) — It’s election day. Voters will be heading to the polls for this year’s March 5 Democratic and Republican Primary.
In Guadalupe County, the locally contested races all appear on the Republican ballot.
The list of local races includes the matchup for Guadalupe County Sheriff. Both Patrick Pinder and Joshua Ray are seeking the GOP nomination. Both look to replace retiring Sheriff Arnold Zwicke who has spent more than 20 years in office. The winner of this race today will run unopposed during the general election in November. Sheriff Zwicke’s term runs through the end of this year, and the new sheriff would take office on January 1, 2025.
Another heavily contested race on the Republican ballot is Guadalupe County Commissioner Pct. 1. Five hopefuls are looking to fill the big shoes belonging to Commissioner Greg Seidenberger who has also opted to retire. Those vying for the seat include Candidates James Ransdell; Clint Taft; Dustin Engelke, Bryan Underwood and Jacqueline “Jackie” Ott.
The winner of this GOP nomination will earn the right to face the Democratic nominee, Nahomie Alanis; and the Libertarian nominee, Nolan Schmidt, who are both running unopposed for the nominations of their respective parties.
A hotly contested race for the Republican nomination for the District 44 seat in the Texas House of Representatives will also appear on the ballot. Incumbent State Representative John Kuempel is being challenged by three candidates, including Alan Schoolcraft, David Freimarck and Greg Switzer.
Those selecting the Republican ballot will also be weighing in on 13 party propositions. The propositions are not a vote for law but simply a way to poll party voters on various topics. It should be noted that there are no propositions appearing on the Democratic ballot.
Voters will simply be asked to answer either Yes or No to items such as “Texas should eliminate all property taxes without increasing Texan’s overall tax burden” and Texas urges the United States Congress not to grant any form of amnesty or a pathway to legalization for illegal aliens.”
A total of 36 Vote Centers or polling locations are open today throughout Guadalupe County. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thanks to Vote Centers, Guadalupe County residents are no longer restricted to specific polling sites and can vote in any one of the 36 locations.
KWED will have live election coverage shortly after the polls close a 7 p.m. Results can be heard live on AM 1580 KWED or online at SeguinToday.com. Election results are being brought to listeners courtesy of Gift and Gourmet.