TSC RUNOFF EARLY VOTE LOW: ELECTION DAY WILL DECIDE

(Ed.'s Note: Early voting is now over and the numbers (1,240), as expected, were much lower than the 2,401 early votes cast in the May 5 primary. Now the decision on whether incumbent Rey Gracia or J.J. De Leon will be in Place 6 on the TSC board might be decided by the election day voters on Saturday.

The terms are for six years and as a member of a policy-making board, the winner of Place 6 in this election will impact crucial issues for the residents of the community college district.

Whether it's the type of courses that are offered, the development of the local workforce to prepare them (and our region) for the future, the collaboration with our neighbor to the south and its industry, the cost of tuition for its students, the quality of their education, and the future quality of life for everyone in South Texas, your vote will make a difference.

If statistics hold true, some 65 percent of the total vote (not including mail-in and election day) is cast in the early-voting period. A rough calculation indicates that at this rate, the total vote would come to around 2,000.

That is, unless there is a surge of voting between now and June 23, election day.

In the primary election vote May 5, there was only a 54-vote difference between Garcia and De Leon with Garcia getting 2,312 to 2,258 for De Leon. Percentage wise  Garcia got 35.3 to De Leon's 34.5 percent. The other candidate, Carlos Rios got 30.1 percent.)