Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)– Lufkin residents gathered at City Hall today to protest a proposed $1 billion data center.
The facility planned by Denver-based developer Amp Z at the former Southland Paper Mill site, faces opposition over concerns about water usage, local infrastructure impact and potential noise. The proposed facility is located outside city limits and the Lufkin City Council did not address the matter during its meeting.
The Amp Z project is a one billion dollar data center intended for a 1,000-acre site. While the land purchase for the development is complete, the project remains in negotiation and planning phases. City officials have stated the facility would use approximately 500 gallons of water daily, utilizing a closed-loop system for water reuse.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, people stood outside city hall, marching, chanting and holding signs to express their opposition to the data center. Residents also raised concerns regarding the potential strain on local infrastructure and the noise levels once the vast 1,000-acre facility becomes operational. Christina Perez, a community organizer, voiced the broader implications of such development.
“This isn’t the only data set; this is just one of many that will probably come to Lufkin and the East Texas area,” Perez said. “For a lot of people, this is just home. It’s something that is replaceable and once we take all these things away, it’s going to be hard to get them back.”
The group of residents plans to present their concerns about the data center project to the Angelina County Commissioners Court. The project is still in the negotiation and planning phases.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Stonewall National Monument, the President’s House Site and the Women’s Rights National Historic Park are among 11 sites on this year’s annual list of the most endangered historic places in the United States compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The 2026 list, announced Wednesday, marks America’s 250th anniversary with the foundational principle that everyone is created equal as the theme, said Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the nonprofit organization. The 11 sites offer examples of how, over time, Americans have fought against injustice and for equality, she said.
“We wanted to think about those ideas, especially this notion that all human beings are created equal and find places, sometimes unsung places … that not all Americans routinely think about,” Quillen told The Associated Press.
The sites are spread across the United States — from New York and California on the East and West Coasts, to Alabama and Texas in the South, to Michigan in the Midwest and the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah in the Rocky Mountain West.
At least three of the sites — Stonewall, the El Corazon church in Texas and President’s House in Philadelphia — have been endangered by Trump administration actions.
“We want to save these places,” Quillen said, “not just because the bricks and mortar is important but because the stories these places hold are important.”
For the first time since the list debuted in 1988, each site on the 2026 list will receive a one-time $25,000 grant to help highlight their connections to the principle that all people are created equal and address the threats they face.
The 11 sites are:
Montgomery, Alabama: Ben Moore Hotel
The hotel was a refuge for Black people living under laws that enforced racial separation in the South. Prolonged vacancy has caused structural deterioration and the historic Centennial Hill neighborhood surrounding it faces pressure from development. The hotel housed key players from the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The Conservation Fund announced in November that it would help preserve the hotel.
Modoc County, California: Tule Lake Segregation Center
Initially known as the Tule Lake War Relocation Center, it was set up as a camp but later became a segregation center where Japanese Americans who were thought to be disloyal to the United States were imprisoned. The site is now a national monument managed by the National Park Service. Only 37 acres of the 1,100-acre site is protected. Most of it is at risk of permanent alteration from a proposed nearby construction project.
California: Angel Island Immigration Station
It was the largest immigration port on the West Coast between 1910 and 1940, particularly for immigrants from Asia and the Pacific. Hundreds of thousands were processed, detained and/or interrogated there because of their race. The station currently is threatened by physical, environmental, political and economic factors. Additional funding is needed for structural repairs and programming to increase awareness.
Somerset, Massachusetts: Swansea Friends Meeting House
Recognized as the oldest surviving Quaker meeting house in the state, it was built in 1701 to serve as a refuge by a congregation fleeing religious persecution and looking for a safe place to worship. The building has been closed for years and needs significant rehabilitation.
Michigan: Detroit Association of Women’s Clubs
Founded in 1921, the association was one of the first Black organizations in Detroit to own their headquarters building, which was purchased in 1941. But the building has been closed since 2024, when water pipes burst and damaged the interior. Money is needed to help the association reopen the building.
New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah: Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape
The landscape is an ancestral homeland sustained for over a millennium by the Pueblo and Hopi people, but is threatened by changes to federal land policy that could open up significant portions to oil and gas development. Permanent protections and tribal consultation are needed to protect its cultural integrity.
Seneca Falls, New York: Women’s Rights National Historical Park
The park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, in July 1848. It faces a deferred maintenance backlog of over $10 million. Additional funding and support are needed to help preserve the park as a place to teach visitors about the history of women’s rights.
New York: Stonewall National Monument
The first and only U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history was the subject of administration actions that saw the rainbow Pride flag removed from its flagpole earlier this year before it was restored. The National Park Service had removed the flag in February, citing federal guidance that limited the agency to displaying only the American, Interior Department and POW/MIA flags. But the administration reversed course in April as it agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by advocacy and historic preservation groups that sought to block the flag’s removal at the Manhattan site.
After Trump returned to office, he ended diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and many references to transgender people were excised from the Stonewall monument’s website and materials. The Republican administration similarly has put national parks, museums and landmarks under a messaging microscope, aiming to remove or alter materials that it says are “divisive or partisan” or “inappropriately disparage Americans.”
Philadelphia: The President’s House Site
The administration abruptly removed exhibits on the lives of nine people enslaved at the site in the 1790s under George Washington, the first U.S. president, who lived there when Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital. The exhibits were taken down as part of a broad effort by the administration to remove from federal properties information it deems “disparaging” to Americans. The issue is currently the subject of litigation between the city and federal government.
Heath Springs, South Carolina: Hanging Rock Revolutionary War Battlefield
The Battle of Hanging Rock was a key battle in the Southern Campaigns of the Revolutionary War and is considered a Patriot victory that helped boost morale and ultimately weaken British control in South Carolina. Only portions of the core battlefield are protected and open to the public, with the area anticipating population growth and increasing development pressures.
Ruidosa, Texas: El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus
The more than century-old adobe church served as a refuge and place of worship for Mexican and Mexican American farming communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border along the Rio Grande River. Vacant since the 1950s, the structure has benefited from continued restoration provided by the nonprofit Friends of the Ruidosa Church but remains threatened by proposed construction of a U.S. border wall that could come within a few hundred yards of the property.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Independent School District band program is preparing for an international spotlight after the Longview High School Lobo Band was selected to perform in the prestigious London New Year’s Day Parade in 2028. The invitation-only event features thousands of performers from around the world and winds through the streets of Westminster in central London. More than 300 students from the Big Green Marching Machine, along with the Viewettes and Majorettes, are expected to represent Longview and East Texas on the international stage.
District officials announced on Tuesday during a surprise gathering at the Mickey Melton Performing Arts Center for current students in grades 7 through 10, who will be eligible to participate in the trip. Longview ISD Director of Bands and Director of Instrumental Music Rhonda Daniel said the opportunity reflects the dedication and discipline students have demonstrated for generations.
Daniel said performing in London will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a recognition of the band’s long-standing tradition of excellence. Read the rest of this entry »
DALLAS (AP) — As Dallas pulls out the stops for the World Cup this summer, one makeover is causing an uproar: the sudden disappearance of a beloved, giant mural downtown of swimming whales.
“I see that mural almost every day on my way to school and then one day they were painting it over,” Katy Rose Cusick said. “And it was just so incredibly shocking to me that that could happen so quickly.”
Work has been underway this month to paint over the mural that’s graced two entire walls of a parking garage for nearly 30 years to make way for art related to the upcoming World Cup matches. Wyland, the artist who created the mural, said in a statement that its destruction has left him “deeply disheartened.”
“When a piece that has carried meaning for generations can be erased without dialogue, it raises serious questions about how we value public art, artists, and the communities these works were created to serve,” Wyland said.
Cusick and Joshua Hurston, seniors at a local performing and visual arts high school, started a Change.org petition hoping to raise awareness to protect history and art. The petition has gotten hundreds of signatures so far, including from those with fond memories of spotting the mural as children.
“If we couldn’t save necessarily the mural, making sure that something like this doesn’t happen again,” he said.
A spokesperson for the area’s World Cup organizing committee said in a statement they were looking forward to “unveiling a new piece that captures this current historical moment and reflects the energy, unity, and global spirit surrounding the World Cup 2026,” adding that a “portion” of Wyland’s mural will be preserved “as a tribute to its lasting impact on the city.”
Dallas is hosting more World Cup matches than any of the other sites in the event co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with nine matches set to be played at AT&T Stadium in suburban Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The retractable roof venue will be called Dallas Stadium for the World Cup.
Downtown Dallas Inc. said in a statement that it was part of the early discussions about the mural and confirmed it wasn’t part of the city’s public art collection before introducing the World Cup organizing committee to the building’s owners. A spokesperson for the building’s owners, Slate Asset Management, said they were approached by Downtown Dallas Inc. and the organizing committee earlier this year about donating the wall for a new public art installation by a local artist.
The mural, titled “Whaling Wall 82,” was dedicated in 1999. Wyland has painted over 100 similar murals known as Whaling Walls around the world as part his mission for the conservation of ocean life.
“This was more than paint on a wall — it was part of my work, alongside the Wyland Foundation, to bring people together to protect our oceans and clean water,” he said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus are calling on Black athletes and fans to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that are taking steps that the nation’s oldest civil rights group says are restricting Black voting rights.
Launched on Tuesday, the NAACP’s “Out of Bounds” campaign urges current and prospective Black athletes, their families, alumni and fans to “withhold athletic and financial support” from major public universities in states that “have moved to limit, weaken or erase Black voting representation.”
If Black athletes participate in the boycott, it could deplete rosters for powerhouse football and basketball programs across the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference.
The NAACP’s campaign calls out Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina as states to boycott, arguing that the athletic programs of those states’ major universities are especially reliant on Black athletic talent and should protect Black political interests.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson, during a news conference in front of the U.S. Capitol, accused Republican-led Southern states of “seeking to reinstitute a sharecropping reality” by recruiting Black athletic talent to play for flagship universities while limiting, in his view, “our ability to elect candidates of our choice.”
The ACC, SEC, Florida State University, the University of Alabama, four Historically Black College and University conferences — the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC and CIAA — and chapter members of the National African American Athlete Alliance in both Texas and Florida did not return The Associated Press’ request for comment.
The NAACP is among groups responding to a wave of gerrymandering in the aftermath of a U.S.Supreme Court ruling that winnowed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Johnson repeatedly noted that Black athletes have been a core engine of the college sports business, which drives billions in TV deals, revenue and reputational prestige.
“Black athletes should not be asked to generate wealth, prestige, and power for state institutions while those same states strip political power from Black communities,” Johnson said.
“We will fight with all we have in solidarity with the Congressional Black Caucus to ensure that we have representation, or if we don’t, we will withhold the talent that plays on the football field or on the basketball court, be they male or female,” Johnson told reporters.
The boycott is part of a coordinated effort by Black political leaders and civil rights activists to dissuade Republican-led states from redistricting longtime majority-Black congressional districts. Civil rights activists have mobilized across the South to protest moves by state legislatures to change their maps, while voting rights groups and Democratic lawmakers have filed lawsuits seeking to block potential changes to the districts.
Black lawmakers oppose SCORE Act
And on Monday, the CBC said that it would unanimously oppose the SCORE Act, a bill backed by major athletic conferences that would set new rules for the payment of college athletes, unless the sports leagues oppose the redistricting efforts of GOP-led states.
“The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support legislation benefiting major athletic institutions that continue to remain silent while black voting rights and black political power are being systematically dismantled across the South,” Rep. Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, told reporters.
“The Congressional Black Caucus believes institutions that profit from Black talent and Black communities have a responsibility to stand with those communities when their fundamental rights are under attack,” the CBC said in a Monday letter to the commissioners of the SEC and ACC athletic conferences, as well as NCAA President Charlie Baker. “Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality — it is complicity.”
After the caucus’ announcement, the SCORE Act was pulled from the schedule of the House committee overseeing the bill. Clarke said the decision showed that “silence from our institutions in moments of injustice carries consequences.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that the boycott was meant to oppose “a dramatic return to racially oppressive Jim Crow-like tactics.” He added that while athletes ultimately had to make individual choices, they would be supported by lawmakers and civil rights leaders in their decision-making process.
“We’re going to support them, and we know they have options,” Jeffries said.
Initiative’s timing is difficult
The timing of the initiative comes at a moment in the college athletic calendar that might make it difficult for it to have any immediate impact. The transfer portals for the high-profile Division I sports of football and basketball are all closed until 2027.
There may be an opportunity to influence prominent high school recruits who are still weighing their college prospects for the fall of 2027 and beyond. While many schools have received nonbinding verbal agreements from football and basketball players, those agreements won’t become official until late fall at the earliest.
The signing window for basketball opens in mid-November — about a week after the midterm elections — and the 72-hour early signing period for football arrives in the first week of December.
There is a chance that recruits could attempt to put pressure on flagship institutions in the targeted states by threatening to sign somewhere else. The reality, however, is that the pockets of those schools run deep, and asking a teenager to factor politics into a decision that could produce a life-altering financial windfall before they are even old enough to vote could prove tenuous.
Brandon Copeland, CEO of Athletes.org, the emerging college players association that aims to represent student athletes, told reporters that opposition to the SCORE Act and redistricting efforts are linked.
“It’s really a control mechanism,” Copeland said of the SCORE Act’s proposed changes. “That same tool is being used to suppress our voices, suppress our votes,” he said. Copeland, a former professional football player, said his organization will “stand tall alongside our athletes, but also alongside our mothers, our uncles, our aunts, our cousins, and everyone in this nation who deserves a voice.”
Activists seek pressure points
Activists have sought pressure points to dissuade GOP-led states from redistricting maps, including calls for mass protests and economic boycotts, though Johnson and the Black Caucus members did not endorse further measures, like calling for major Southern companies to relocate or for Black voters to leave states that take up redistricting plans.
Johnson cited the 2015 decision by the University of Mississippi to remove the Confederate flag from its campus, and Mississippi’s later decision to change its flag entirely, as successful demonstrations by Black student athletes, who in both cases expressed opposition to the flag’s presence on campus.
In 2024, the NAACP urged student-athletes to reconsider attending Florida universities due to the state’s bans on diversity, equity and inclusion policies and policies on the teaching of history in schools.
Lawmakers and activists have made such calls in the past, like when in 2021 Black lawmakers, activists and clergy called for a boycott of Georgia companies over the Republican state legislature’s implementation of a sweeping law that Democrats accused of enacting “Jim Crow 2.0.”
Major League Baseball decided to move its All-Star Game from the state that year over the protests, a move that enraged Republican lawmakers, who saw the effort as misguided. The All-Star Game returned to the Atlanta area in 2025.
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Associated Press sports writer Will Graves in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, contributed.
TYLER — Four East Texan firefighters were sent up to the Panhandle this week to provide support ahead of potential wildfire outbreaks. Three firefighters from the Lufkin Fire Department were deployed with an ambulance and command vehicle with the Emergency Medical Task Force at the request of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. They’re joined by several EMTF partners across the state in Plainview to help assist local agencies with wildland fires and severe weather.
A firefighter from Athens, Tyler Reed, was sent to Dumas along with an engine boss from Smith County Emergency Services District 2. He is pre-positioned for potential wildfire outbreaks as part of the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System.
According to the National Weather Service in Amarillo, dry windstorms with lightning have started up fires across the panhandle.
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — Several investigations have been launched by the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office due to multiple car burglaries that have taken place over the past week.
According to the sheriff’s office, four car burglaries have been reported across the county since May 14, which have led to several guns being stolen along with other valuables. The most recent incident occurred on Tuesday on Country Road 826 when three cars were burglarized, and one pistol magazine was stolen.
The sheriff’s office said that three juveniles were identified as suspects in an earlier incident, but authorities do not believe the suspects were involved in other burglaries across the county. Although several arrests have been made in relation to the burglaries, the sheriff’s office said they are looking to identify suspects who may live in a different county.
“We are asking the public to remain vigilant during the summer months,” the sheriff’s office said. “Please always lock your vehicle and remove any weapons from it. These thieves are mainly looking for two things: cash and weapons. I have several investigators working on these cases, and the Sheriff’s Office will remain proactive in seeking to bring these criminals to justice.”
Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 936-560-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 936-560-INFO.
TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — A man wanted out of Tennessee with several felony warrants, including counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, was arrested in Trinity County on Monday.
According to the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, they assisted the United States Marshals Service in executing a high-risk felony warrant for 42-year-old Norman Haun.
Haun had several charges and felony warrants out of Greene County, Tennessee, including the following:
Sixteen counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
Felony warrants alleging violation of sex offender registry requirements
Violations of community supervision for life
Haun was taken into custody without incident.
“Due to the serious nature of the allegations and the high risk classification of the warrant, additional precautions were taken by law enforcement personnel to ensure the safety of the public, officers, and all involved during the operation,” the sheriff’s office said.
Haun was taken to the Trinity County Jail, where he is being held with a $200,000 bond for failure to comply with sex offender registration and online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct. The sheriff’s office said Haun is pending extradition back to Tennessee.
“Crimes involving children are taken seriously, and law enforcement agencies across this country continue to work together to locate and apprehend those wanted for serious offenses,” the sheriff’s office said.
PAYNE SPRINGS – The body of a kayaker was pulled from Cedar Creek Lake in Henderson County on Sunday after they went missing on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Payne Springs Fire Rescue were called out to Cedar Creek Lake to help search for a 22-year-old whose kayak had capsized.
The search continued until around 10 p.m. The kayaker’s body was discovered at around 10:20 a.m. Sunday morning.
Payne Springs Fire Rescue said this was the second drowning they’ve responded to on the lake this year and they urged everyone who uses the lake to wear a fitting life jacket or flotation device.
“This marks the second drowning incident on the lake that PSFR has responded to already this year,” Payne Springs Fire Rescue said. “We strongly encourage everyone enjoying the lake to wear a properly fitted life jacket or flotation device at all times while on the water. A simple precaution can save a life.”
CROCKETT, Texas (KETK) – The Crockett Police Department arrested a member of a white supremacist gang after he allegedly stole from the local Walmart multiple times.
Noah Ray Scott, 28 of Houston, was identified by law enforcement as a suspect wanted for stealing from Walmart on at least two occasions after Crockett PD posted about the thefts on Wednesday. According to Crockett PD, Scott is a known registered member of the prison-based Peckerwood white supremacist gang.
Crockett PD said their officers were searching a local RV park on Wednesday when they found Scott living in the park’s bathroom with 42-year-old Brandy Nichole Teer of South Carolina.
Scott was arrested for theft of property less than $2,500, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of possession of between 4 and 200 grams of a controlled substance. He’s currently being held in the Houston County Jail on a total bond of $50,000. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK – More than 100 code enforcement violations issued by the city of Rusk recently have caused quite a stir in the community. The people on the receiving end of those violations brought their frustrations to the city council meeting Thursday night. According to our news partner KETK, people packed the room at Thursday’s Rusk City Council meeting, demanding answers about the dozens of code enforcement violations issued last week. Residents said the code violations ranged from roofing issues to weeds on the fences to even toys left in the yard.
Residents expressed their frustration with code enforcement and were disappointed that they weren’t reviewed further before being posted. The mayor of Rusk addressed people’s concerns and said everyone can throw out the recent letters they received.
While there was a collective sigh of relief, Rusk residents felt the city needed to fix the problem inside the house and bring change.
ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– A traffic stop in Angelina County earlier this month led to a man being arrested after officers discovered he was in possession of over 300 images of child pornography and illegal narcotics.
According to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, a traffic stop was initiated on May 5 after deputies observed 33-year-old Wayne Cassels making several traffic violations while driving on U.S. Highway 59 south of Lufkin.
During the stop, deputies found two bags that were believed to contain 59 grams of methamphetamine inside the vehicle. Leading deputies to suspect Cassels was involved in drug trafficking, deputies opened an investigation.
Deputies were able to obtain a warrant to search Cassels’ cell phone after it was suspected that he was in possession of child pornography following a forensic interview. During the search of the phone, over 300 photos of child sexual abuse material were stored on his device, according to officials.
Cassels is currently being held in the Angelina County Jail and his bond has been set at $600,000 after being charged with the following offenses:
Five counts of possession or promotion of child pornography
Manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance
Tampering with physical evidence
SMITH COUNTY — Friday is the final deadline for Texas property owners to protest their tax bill and the Smith County Appraisal District is seeing hundreds of people try to file a dispute last-minute. Experts like S.T.A.R. Tax Protest CTO Deric McCurry have said property owners who file a protest may be able to lower their assessed value and save money on taxes, potentially making their home more attractive to buyers. McCurry recommends requesting an appraisal review board hearing for a better chance at a settlement.
“If you’re looking for maximum saving before going in front of an appraisal review board, provide evidence of things like condition documentation on your home and comparable sales that have happened,” McCurry said.
Appraisal districts like the one in Smith County do offer review hearings, but with time running out Chief Appraiser Carol McNeil said property owners are better off filing online immediately then scheduling a follow-up appointment. Read the rest of this entry »
POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– A Polk County resident was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday after failing to comply with his sex offender registration requirements.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a detective who was assigned to monitor registered sex offenders discovered in November 2025 that a 55-year-old Rayford Ellis had failed to comply with sex offender registration requirements, prompting an investigation to be opened.
The detective later became aware that Ellis had not completed his required annual 2024 registration verification through the sheriff’s office. As the investigation continued, detectives issued a compliance check at his residence, but no contact was made.
An arrest warrant was eventually obtained for Ellis, and he was taken into custody in Cleveland, Texas and charged with failure to comply with his sex offender registration requirements.
Following a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Ellis was sentenced to 25 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
“The goal of the sex offender registry is to protect the community and its members from sexual predators,” the Polk County District Attorney’s Office said. “For the registry to work and help protect those it’s intended to protect, offenders must comply with the law. When they fail to comply, our office will hold them accountable. Our office will continue working with law enforcement and the community to ensure their safety.”
TYLER, Texas (KETK) — As early voting begins Monday for Texas’ primary runoff elections, county election offices across the state are preparing for yet another round of voting in what has become an increasingly relentless election calendar.
For some Texas counties, the May 27 primary runoff marks the third election since March, with additional runoff elections and potential constitutional amendment elections still ahead later this year.
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Election administrators say the nonstop cycle is pushing both full-time staff and volunteer poll workers to their limits.
A nearly year-round election schedule
Texas voters have already participated in several elections in 2026, beginning with the March primary elections, followed by city, school and special elections in May. In many communities, races that failed to produce a majority winner have triggered runoff elections, requiring county offices to quickly reset and prepare all over again.
In East Texas, that means election departments are moving almost seamlessly from one contest to the next. “We’re having them all back-to-back, and it is exhausting,” Michelle Allcon, the elections administrator for the Smith County Elections Office, said.
Smith County is preparing for the Texas primary runoff while simultaneously organizing the June 7 runoff election for the City of Tyler mayoral race between John Nix and Stuart Hene.
“We’re easily getting confused on who’s signing up to work, on what days, and who’s not available,” Allcon said.
Volunteers are the backbone of elections
In Gregg County, Jennifer Briggs said the county’s four full-time employees rely heavily on dozens of temporary workers and volunteers to operate polling places and process ballots. Right now, Briggs said her office is managing eight different races throughout the county while also working overnight shifts to prepare voting equipment and finalize ballots.
“Vacations for everyone, doctor’s visits — unless they’re emergencies — all that stuff has to kind of be put on hold,” Briggs said.
After months of continuous elections, some poll workers have begun stepping away.
“We have had some that have had to drop out just because there are so many elections happening back to back to back,” Briggs said.
Election fatigue extends beyond East Texas
The challenge is not unique to Smith and Gregg counties.
Across Texas, election departments, particularly in rural counties with small staffs, are tasked with administering primaries, local elections, runoffs, special elections and statewide propositions, often within weeks of one another.
Most county election offices employ only a handful of full-time workers and depend on retired residents and community volunteers to serve as poll workers.
Election experts say the repeated election schedule can lead to burnout, increased administrative pressure and difficulty recruiting enough trained workers to staff polling sites.
Why so many elections?
County officials say much of the schedule is dictated by state law.
Texas statutes set strict timelines requiring runoff elections to occur within a certain period after the original vote. At the same time, new election laws have added additional procedures, reporting requirements and security measures that increase the workload for local offices.
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“It’s the scheduling. These runoffs have to happen within a certain timeframe after the original election,” Allcon said.
Briggs added that updated legislation has required election offices to do “more and more.”
Preparing for the polls
Despite the long hours and mounting fatigue, election administrators say they are committed to ensuring every election runs smoothly. As voters head to the polls this month and again in June, officials are asking residents to remember the people behind the scenes who make the process possible.
“Be patient and kind,” Allcon said. “We’ve had a long day.”
Early voting for the Texas primary runoff begins Monday, with Election Day set for May 27. In communities such as Tyler, additional runoff elections will keep election workers busy well into the summer.