“The registration deadline for any election is 30 days prior to the election day,” said Bloom. “If they haven’t received their card or aren’t sure if they’re registered, all they have to do is come by the office. They can fill out the voter registration application and their card should be mailed to them in time for the November election.

“For those that can’t get out, they can call us and we’ll mail them the form. They can fill it out and just mail it back to us. It’s a very easy process.”

Bloom said the deadline for area voters to return applications for mail-in ballots is Oct. 27, but warned against procrastinating.

“I would encourage everyone to get their applications in as soon as possible,” said Bloom. “If you’re 65 years old or older, disabled, confined to jail or you know you will be out of the county for the election, you can apply for a ballot by mail.  They can write us a letter or send us a request by fax or e-mail.

“The deadline to receive an application for a ballot by mail is Oct. 27, which should allow enough time for the ballot to be mailed and returned in time for the election.”

According to Bloom, requests for a mail out ballot must include the voter’s name, address of residence inside Howard County, the reason for their request and the address the ballot should be mailed to.

If the reason for requesting a mail out ballot is the voter will be out of the county during the election, Bloom said the ballot must be mailed to an address outside Howard County, as well as mailed back from outside the county.

“We’re hoping this will help our college students, military and voters temporarily working out of the county,” said Bloom.

Voters will have plenty to choose from going into November's election, with a pair of seats on the Howard County Commissioners Court and sheriff on the line.

In the race for Howard County Sheriff, Republican candidate Stan Parker, a former officer with the Big Spring Police Department, will face off against Democratic nominee Pat Carter, a former sheriff's deputy.

Parker finished the March Republican Primary with 1,680 ballots — 54.04 percent of the vote — passing incumbent Dale Walker, who finished the race with 1,118 ballots, nearly 36 percent of the contest. Carter accepted his party's nomination after running unopposed in the primary.

The District 1 seat on the commissioners court will also be up for grabs, as Emma Brown, incumbent and Democratic Party nominee, will take on Republican nominee Edwin Ware. Brown finished the primary with 248 ballots, accounting for 51.77 percent of the vote, with Democratic opponent Yolanda Mendoza drawing 231 ballots, accounting for 48.23 percent of the vote.

The District 3 seat on the court will see a new face following the November contest, as Democratic nominee Dick Dubose will take on Republican candidate Jimmie Long, who defeated fellow GOP candidate Winston Paschal Odom. Long, who managed to draw 232 ballots in the April 8 runoff election called for at the close of the March Primaries, narrowly bested Odom, who drew 207 ballots from voters, to win the Republican party nomination.

Also in local contests, County Attorney Mike Thomas is running for re-election with the Democratic Party, drawing his only opponent in local attorney Joshua Hamby, who is running on the Republican ticket. Both went unopposed in the March contests.

County Constable Bill Holden is also running for re-election on the Democratic ticket, challenged by Republican nominee Kneel B. Stallings. Both were unopposed in their respective party's primaries.

In state politics, incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) will run against Democratic opponent Rick Noriega and Libertarian candidate Yvonne Adams Schick.

Incumbent District 19 U.S. Representative Randy Neugebauer will be riding the Republican ticket into the November election, facing Democratic nominee Dwight Fullingim and Libertarian nominee Richard "Chip"  Peterson.

District 31 State Senator Kel Seliger will also be taking the GOP's nod into the contest, with only Libertarian candidate Lauren Poindexter opposing the incumbent.

Democratic incumbent Joe Heflin will be running for re-election to his State Representative District 85 seat, facing Dem nominee Isaac M. Castro on the ballot.

For more information on voter registration, contact Bloom at 264-2273.

Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it