This browser does not support the Video element.
Early Voting has come to a close in Texas and despite record breaking numbers; the Travis County Clerk said they did not get as many early voters as they were hoping for.
Elias Cruz from Pflugerville decided to vote on the last day of early voting, “Rather do it now. I am pretty sure the lines are going to be crazy on Tuesday,” he said.
Despite a record number of people registered to vote, Dana Debeauvoir, the Travis County Clerk said they didn’t meet their goal. They were hoping for 30,000 voters each day for early voting but unfortunately that didn't happen. “The first week of early voting we had well more than 30,000 voters almost every single day, then once the weekend hit and the few days after that, no it really did drop substantially,” she said.
Of the nearly 729,000 people registered to vote in Travis County, more than 328,000 have cast their ballots in early or mail in voting as of Thursday’s numbers.
For the rest of voters, you have just one day now to make your decision at the polls. “Turnout is going to be high, we are going to see a lot of voters vote, we do anticipate seeing perhaps as many as 175,000 people vote on Election Day,” Debeauvoir said.
For those who are thinking about not taking advantage of their patriotic privilege, Cruz said he hopes they will change their mind and vote like he did. “I just think I'm really concerned about the way the country could go so if I can have even a tiny voice, I want use that privilege,” he said.
We are told by the County Clerk's office they will be working through the weekend to get ready for Tuesday. They said they have plans in place to get people through lines more quickly and are prepared for the large number of voters come Election Day.