By Juan Montoya
If ever there has been an election-day polling place list designed to cause confusion and inconvenience to where it could discourage low-income voters from voting, the election day polling place list by the Brownsville Navigation District and the Texas Southmost College is it.
It is, some critics say, a quintessential example of voter suppression.
And although port and TSC supporters say that the list is the same that was used in past elections with minor modifications, Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza says he merely lumped the polling precincts the way the board of the two entities approved it in past meetings.
"We looked at past voting patterns and participation and the polling places were approved by the port and the college," he said.
TSC board president Adela Garza said that the board placed their confidence in Remi because "it's his job. We trust he wants people to vote."
Still, questions abound.
For example, if you live in the 13th Street barrio and vote in Precinct 5 and are accustomed to vote at Victoria Elementary at 280` E. 13th Street, you will have to travel across town and cast your ballot at Gonzalez Elementary at 4350 Jaime Zapata Road (Coffeeport Road), three miles away as the urraca flies, longer on the streets.
That despite the fact that Canales Elementary (Pct. 37)is also a polling place less than nine blocks away. And Cromack Elementary (Pct.), is also closer, less than a mile and one-quarter away. Why Gonzalez 3 miles away?
Gonzalez Elementary: 4350 Jaime Zapata Road (Coffeeport Road)
PRECINCT 5: Victoria Elementary, 2801 E. 13th St., Brownsville
PRECINCT 46: Gonzalez Elementary, 4350 Coffeeport Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 63: Oliveira Middle School, 444 Land O’ Lakes Dr., Brownsville
PRECINCT 96: Perez Elementary, 2514 Shidler Dr., Brownsville
The same applies to the voters of Skinner Elementary (Pct. 11) who will have to travel across town from south-central Brownsville barrio to cast their vote at Russel, about a one and a quarter-miles away. Why not Putegnat Elementary downtown, less than half a mile away? The same goes for Pct. 13, the First Presbyterian Church just down the street from Sharp. Instead of going there, they will also have to go more than a quarter mile further to Russel.
Russel Elementary: 800 Lakeside Blvd., Brownsville
PRECINCT 12: Russell Elementary, 800 Lakeside, Brownsville
PRECINCT 13: First Presbyterian Church, 424 Palm Blvd., Brownsville
Now, take a look at the list below. Notice the Perkins Middle School (Pct. 71) is closer to Gonzalez Elementary (3/4 of a mile) than it is to Rivera high School (about 2 miles), yet that's where TSC and Port voters will have to go to vote on election Day. Why?
Morningside Elementary is about a mile away from Cromack and in the same barrio, but voters there will have to travel about 3 miles to vote in Rivera H.S. Why?
Rivera High School: 6955 FM 802, Brownsville
Morningside Elementary is about a mile away from Cromack and in the same barrio, but voters there will have to travel about 3 miles to vote in Rivera H.S. Why?
Rivera High School: 6955 FM 802, Brownsville
PRECINCT 14: Social Service Center, 9901 California Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 60: Morningside Elementary, 1025 Morningside Road, BrownsvillePRECINCT 68: Rivera High School, 6955 FM 802, Brownsville
PRECINCT 71: Perkins Middle School, 4750 Austin Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 82: El Jardin Elementary, 6911 Boca Chica Blvd., Brownsville
PRECINCT 86: Juliet Garcia Middle School, 5701 FM 802, Brownsville
PRECINCT 102: Raquel Pena Elementary, 4975 Salida de la Luna, Brownsville
PRECINCT 108: Hudson Elementary
The grouping below is even more egregious. If you vote in Pct. 17 in San Benito, you will have to drive all the way into Brownsville to cast you vote on election day. And if you live in Villa Nueva, you will also have to drive there to vote.
Yturria Elementary: 295 West Tandy Road, Brownsville
Yturria Elementary: 295 West Tandy Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 17 (part) : La Encantada Elementary, 35001 FM 1577, San Benito
PRECINCT 48: Yturria Elementary, 2955 Tandy Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 98: Benavidez Elementary, 3101 McAllen Road, Brownsville
PRECINCT 107: (GET LOCATION)
What about these? Precinct 61 (Hudson) is a lot closer to Gonzalez than it is to Stell, yet that's where they will have to go vote. Hanna (Pct. 76) is on the same side of town as Gonzalez, but they, too will have to go to traverse the expressway to the other side of town to vote at Stell. Confused yet?
Stell Middle School: 1105 Los Ebanos, Brownsville
PRECINCT 49: VICC Rec Center, 300 McFadden Road, Brownsville
PRECINCTS 61: Hudson Elementary, 2980 FM 802, Brownsville
PRECINCT 76: Hanna High School, 2615 Price Blvd., Brownsville
Burns Elementary: 1974 Alton Gloor, Brownsville
PRECINCT 73: Brownsville Country Club Golf Center, 1800 W. San Marcelo Blvd., Brownsville
PRECINCT 74: Cameron Park Community Center, 2100 Gregory Ave., Brownsville
PRECINCT 100: Olmito Elementary, 2500 Arroyo Blvd,. Brownsville
Perkins Middle School is about 3/4 of a mile from Gonzalez Elementary, but they will have to go to Hudson more than 2 miles away to vote at Hudson. Why?
Hudson Elementary: 2980 FM 802, Brownsville
Hudson Elementary: 2980 FM 802, Brownsville
PRECINCT 100: Olmito Elementary, 2500 Arroyo Blvd,. Brownsville
PRECINCT 106: Hudson Elementary
It is obvious that it will be the rural and inner-city voters who will have to make the longest treks to cast their vote. Is this by design and carried by inertia? These are nonpartisan races, so the blame can't be cast at Republicans or Democrats. Is it a situation created by these entities to maintain the status quo (socioeconomic class) instead?
We will leave the groupings here because it might take these voters a few days (or months) to realize that their election days polling places have been placed so distant from their homes. Is this why voter turnout on election day is so low?
And is this a deliberate way to suppress voting in these elections for these entities that are so important for the economic development of our area?
12 comments:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CARLOS ELIZONDO BROWNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT SCAM THEFT ?!
A vote for JJ De Leon and Eva Alejandro is a voto for Adela's directorship
The only thing Adela Garza wants is to place her handpicked cronies in office. Lady is about as bright as a three watt light bulb.
Who cares? Everyone's tired of hearing all the drama and bitching from the firefighters . Basta!
Call the DA or better still, call Cindy.
Adela is sick for power
Is it ethical or even legal for Adela as a TSC Trustee to be publicly supporting de Leon? She wants de leon just to have a puppet vote. JJ DE LEON IS ADELAS PUPPET!!!!!
Adela comes from a ghetto like neighborhood from Laredo. She came to Bville and thinks her_____doesn't smell...a backstabber
We should make a policy that registered voters can vote at any voting site! If we can do that during early voting, we can surely do that during regular elections.
Thousands read this blog but only 8 vote, or is it 7 I forgot.
Folks, do voters even come out for these TSC elections any more? Ah why wont the TSC board put on a referendum to eliminate taxes or lower taxes in this district? Now that should draw some attention from the taxpayers/voters right? What an eye opener that would be right?
NO the eye opener is HOW they spend taxpayers monies. For them being elected is like being invited to a candy store. It has to stop.
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