The County Elections Administrator, Russ Towers, posted a brand new feature on the Lamar County Elections page that will allow you to see your actual sample ballot down to the precinct races. If you go to www.lamarcountyelections.com you will find Polling Locations, Candidates Lists, and the new feature “View Your Sample Ballot.” If you click on the link it will take you to https://tx.liveballot.com/Lamar_Sample_Ballot
The home screen gives you an option to click “here” and see the write-in candidates for this election. It also has the “Access My Sample Ballot” option, just click the Continue button and you are on your way to the “Voter Lookup” page.
Once on the Voter Lookup page, just enter your first name and last name in the respective boxes as well as selecting your Birth Date. Remember to use the name you have on your Voter Registration Card or Driver’s License.
After you select the Continue button it will show you your name and address that is listed from your Voter Registration Card (hopefully it is current) and it is what is used to determine your voting precinct. If it is correct select continue and “Your Sample Ballot” will be displayed.
For example, my Sample Ballot had 26 races with each candidate and their party listed for each of those races and the Proposition One choice at the end. One option you have is that next to each candidate’s name there is a “Star” that you can click on to highlight for your selection.
Example “Star” selection for 1st race: (just an example and not necessarily who I am voting for).
At the end of Your Sample Ballot you have the option to “Download Reference Sheet.” What this does is it allows you to download and save Your Sample Ballot with the names of the candidates you selected. From your computer you can print it and take with you when you vote. It does not have the option to select Straight Party voting on the sample ballot as you would only need to remember to select one bubble for that. It also does not print your name, address or any personal information on the Sample Ballot so you can discard it without anyone knowing it was yours after you have voted.
You are allowed to bring in a sample ballot or other printed materials to use as a reference while voting in the polling booth. The only stipulation is you cannot share it will other voters while inside the polling location. Recording and Imaging devices are not allowed in the polling locations, however you can use your smart phone to view your saved notes or voting preferences as long as you are not talking on the phone, distracting others, recording or taking pictures with it.
Last note of interest, I could not get the “Sample Ballot” to fit on my iPhone screen in the vertical position, but when I rotated it horizontally, I could make it out correctly. When I selected “Download Reference Sheet” on my iPhone, it opened a new webpage that has my Sample Ballot filled out the way I had selected the candidates. The other option for those without a smart phone is to save it to your personal computer and print it to take along with you when you go to vote.
Written by JD Marrs
Photos by JD Marrs