BEAUMONT, Texas — Election officials are encouraging anyone who hasn't already to go vote Tuesday, claiming the outcomes of the midterm elections are pivotal to the future of Texas.
Tuesday is election day and the last day for Southeast Texans to cast a ballot for the November midterm elections. Early voter turnout was lower than expected.
More than 47,000 residents turned out to vote during early voting, but election officials expected at least 50,000. In the 2018 midterm election, about 53,000 people voted during early voting.
From the race for Texas governor to the race for Jefferson County judge, the 2022 ballots are filled with hot-button area-level and state-level races.
Ahkayla Picquet is a nursing major at Lamar University. She plans to have her voice heard and go vote before she heads to class on Tuesday.
“I'm just going to vote because I have that option and I'm able to do so, you know, it's just the right that we have,” Picquet student. “It's good for everybody that's eligible to vote to use that option."
One issue that is urging Picquet to head to the pools is women’s rights.
“I like where Beto is heading with everything, with abortion laws and banning things like that and also school, college,” Picquet said. “I see he has a campaign to try and get free education for community college for the first two years, and I like that."
Other area-level, state-level, and national-level issues are motivating other voters to head to the polls.
"The economy is the big driver,” Tom Taschinger, a political analyst said. “It is in almost every election and especially is when things are not so good right now. The economy favor the Republicans quite a bit. They are saying, 'Look, when Biden took over things were not this bad and now they are.' And that's a gut issue that hits you every day.”
Taschinger said Republicans are ahead in the polls, which could lead to a Republican sweep at the state level.
When it comes to Jefferson County races, it's a toss-up. This is why Taschinger believes every vote matters.
“Jefferson County is one of the few places in Texas that's about 50/50 Democratic and Republican,” Taschinger said. “You have a Democratic Sheriff ,Zena Stevens. You have a Republican Judge, Mr. Branick, whose running again for re-election "
Polls will open at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning and close at 7 p.m. Tuesday night.