Despite COVID-19's grip on daily movements in the country, the 2020 general election is shaping up to be historic, with record numbers of votes cast before Election Day.
Texas voters appear undaunted. According to the U.S. Elections Project, out of a total 9,719,101 early votes, 8,745,958 of them were cast in-person, with less than a million ballots returned via mail.
With the country facing unique challenges and social unrest, the presidential race appears to be the biggest draw for voters. Who will live in the White House is essential to early voter Shelby Williams from Plano, Texas, but he doesn't want electors to forget about the other elections.
"It's unfortunate that the presidential elections garner such focus because there's a whole lot at stake," Williams told NE Dallas News. "There's the U.S. Senate. There's the U.S. House, there is the entire judicial branch of government that will be based on whoever wins president and the balance of the U.S. Senate, and then there's the balance of power in the Texas House of Representatives."
Last year, the state legislature did away with straight voting, so now voters have to go through ballots issue by issue, Williams said. He thinks this is good in some ways.
It requires voters to pay attention to each issue and forces them out of an "us or them" mentality, he said.
"I think it's absolutely critical that people pay attention, that they understand who is purporting to represent them at any level in any role, but people don't do that," Williams told NE Dallas News. "You know, the American system of government was predicated on an informed that an engaged citizenry."
While this year's record numbers are heartening in light of past years' apathetic responses, Williams is unsure how positive it is to be about it.
"In 2020, we're already seeing record voter turnout, but I don't know how informed anybody truly is," he said.
Williams hopes people will be judicious when absorbing the information floating out there.
"It's also been problematic cutting through the misinformation," said Williams. "So everybody needs to try to be as informed and engaged as possible, but you got to be informed based on facts and not just what everybody says because what everybody says isn't always right. Just ask Galileo."
Several Texas cities have defunded their police forces, which has been an unpopular decision among Texans, Williams said. A big question on a local level in this election is whether people will elect a city council or county commissioners' court that will maintain robust law enforcement, Williams said.
When deciding on a candidate, honesty and integrity play a big role for Williams.
"Not often found in the political class, but it's still the overwhelming most important thing," Williams said. "Somebody who is forthright about what they stand for. And especially if they think you don't agree with them. They're not telling you what they think you want to hear."
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