democratic bexar county candidates democratic bexar county candidates
Analysis: In November, following the retirement of Rep. Leo Pacheco, Republicans celebrated the flipped seat in House District 118 after John Lujan edged out Frank Ramirez, winning 51% of the vote. Kleberg is a conservationist whose family owns the massive King Ranch property in south Texas. color: black; U.S. Representative . text-align: center; Several consequential nominations for federal, state and county offices are up for grabs, including Congress, Texas governor, Bexar County Judge and district attorney. Minjarez has been the most forceful critic of state Republican leaders in handling the pandemic. Ina Minjarez, a licensed attorney for over 20 years and former prosecutor, has served as a state representative for House District 124 on the near West Side since 2015. Resources. Garcia is making her first run for office with the backing of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, for whom she worked as deputy state director. Analysis: Joe Gonzales is running for reelection, seeking his second term as Bexar County District Attorney. Roughly 500,000 residents live in the precinct, which covers eastern Bexar County. Business interests focus on two open City Council seats, boosting Marina Gavito and Marc Whyte, Prop A opposition massively outspends police reform group ahead of May 6 election, Bexar County school leaders sound alarm on looming funding crisis, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. A financial planner, he is an outspoken critic of climate-change activism and of alternative energy. | } .mw-content-ltr td.votebox-results-cell--text, U.S. Representative . Democratic Primary Candidates: U.S. Representative, District 20 Joaquin Castro U.S. Representative, District 21 Coy Gee Branscum II Claudia Andreana Zapata Cherif Gacis David Anderson Jr Scott. .panel-heading:hover { cursor: pointer;} margin: auto; .hideResponses { display: none;} Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott, right, speaks as television star Chuck Norris and his wife, Gena, stand by during an event at the Casa Rio restaurant on the Riverwalk in San . "The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. He graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2013. Zion First Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. .expand-all:hover, .collapse-all:hover {cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;} Westley is a pastor and the historian for the Texas Republican Party. How do I request a mail-in ballot? Analysis: With Congressman Vicente Gonzalez running in the newly redrawn Congressional District 34, the voters of Congressional District 15 are sure to elect a new representative this November. Buchanan reported $550 in political contributions in the second half of January, with no expenses. display: inline-block; Early voting for elections in Bexar County begins on Monday, October 24. The races to watch in Bexar County for 2022 elections, Democratic Party March Primary Sample Ballot. (function() { .election_results_text { The Bexar County judge seat is open for the first time in 30 years after Nelson Wolff, who has held it since 2001, announced he wouldnt seek a sixth term. color:white; color: #888; Gloria A. Martinez and Christine Chris Castillo are in a Democratic runoff to succeed incumbent District Clerk Mary Angie Garcia, who placed third in the March 1 Democratic primary. The Chicago mayorslammed Abbott for the inhumane and dangerous effort. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff announced in October he would not seek reelection for a sixth term in 2022, so the race is on to replace him with seven GOP and Democratic candidates in the running.. Four candidates will be on the Democratic primary ballot: former children's court judge Peter Sakai, state Rep. Ina Minjarez, mayoral chief of staff Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, and former mayoral . The same three candidates who ran four years ago have filed again. Incumbent Javier Salazar defeated Gerard Rickhoff in the general election for Bexar County Sheriff on November 3, 2020. DeBerry reported $31,500 in contributions, $7,420 in expenses and just over $81,000 in total cash on hand as of Jan. 20. Whitten is making her second attempt at flipping this blue South Texas district after losing to Democratic Rep. Cuellar in 2020. } You can vote by mail if you will be away from your county on Election Day and during the hours that early voting is conducted; are sick or disabled; are 65 years of age or older on Election Day; are expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; or you are in jail. background-color: grey; Chan is a conservative small business owner and former San Antonio City Council member. Cities | He has been a reporter at the Express-News since 1985, covering a variety of issues, including public safety, criminal justice, flooding, transportation, military, water and the environment. Meet Our Business Members & Supporting Foundations. background-color: grey; overflow-y: hidden; 100 San Antonio, TX 78207. Meet the candidates running for Bexar . The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio have released their list of over 70 endorsements for the Democratic primary election slated for March 1. Legally, its not a requirement for the position, though Wolff has a doctorate of jurisprudence from St. Marys University School of Law. Candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic or Republican Party must file (1) a candidate application, and (2) a filing fee or petition in lieu of filing fee. Democrats Ramirez and Vallejo received the most votes in a six-way primary race, and advance to the runoff. width: 50px; } } float: right; .widget-row.Green { Progressives organized against the moderate Democrat, backing immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros. width: 90%; .widget-row { Download a printable ballot application. max-width: 600px; font-size: 20px; The Bexar County Democratic Party hosts a forum for four Democratic candidates running to replace Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff: court system reformer Gerardo X. Ponce, from left, State Rep. Ina Minjariez, mayoral and political adviser Yvalis Meza Gonzalez and former Judge Peter Sakai at Mt. House District 124, located on the citys West Side, will see only its third new representative in 22 years, the result of Minjarezs decision to run for Bexar County judge. The 53-year-old real estate appraiser says he has accomplished his goal of unifying and re-energizing local Republicans. Buchanan also has criticized Wolff for backing mask mandates in county buildings, schools and businesses that opt to require face coverings and has called some of the countys emergency orders tyrannical. He has emphasized property tax reform, spending cuts and government overreach in his talking points. Austin City Council Member Greg Casar, State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, consultant Carla-Joy Sisco, and former San Antonio City Council Member Rebecca Viagran are vying for the primary. She was named 2021 Woman of the Year by the San Antonio Business Journal, and is endorsed by Mayor Nirenberg, Congressman Joaquin Castro and former state Sen. and Rep. Leticia Van de Putte. Analysis: This reliably Democratic district will have new representation after redistricting drew Congressman Lloyd Doggett out of it. This years rematch between the two candidates was shaken up in January after the FBI raided Cuellars home in Laredo amid an active investigation. With an ongoing criminal indictment against him and a whistleblower complaint that is being investigated by the FBI, Attorney General Ken Paxton faces a rocky road toward reelection. Where do each of these candidates stand on the big issues facing Bexar County? She previously served as a legislative aide in the Texas House of Representatives and as an analyst for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Voters will choose Republican or Democratic candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, the State Board of Education, county judge, district attorney and more, including a slew of judicial races. font-weight: bold; State Rep. Ina Minjariez answers a question during the Bexar County Democratic Partys county judge candidate forum at Mt. .widget-key { top: 2px; background: #4c4c4c; font-size: 12px; Abbott is facing stiffer competition in the primary than ORourke is. Bexar County voters have not elected a Republican as county judge since 1998. width: 100%; She is endorsed by the San Antonio Express-News for the Democratic primary, and says her priorities are property-tax relief, safe neighborhoods and securing federal funds for Bexar County. } Sakai is a longtime jurist who supervised the countys Childrens Court, a specialty court that hears abuse and neglect cases. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff announced in October he would not seek reelection for a sixth term in 2022, so the race is on to replace him with seven GOP and Democratic candidates in the running. Early voting totals reporting so far. letter-spacing: 0.03em; She is ranked among the most liberal members of the chamber. Democratic U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez currently represents this South Texas district, but he decided to switch races after redistricting. width: 150px; Sign up for the MySA Morning Headlines to receive fresh San Antonio news every morning. Incumbent Mayor Doug Franklin and current Councilman . They include program scheduler Bill Condict, realtor Jenai Aragona, insurance agent Marilyn Jackson, construction worker Alejandro Ledezma, former 37-day mayor of Corpus Christi Dan McQueen, reporter Sam Montoya, soldier and entrepreneur Asa George Kent Palagi, household manager Michael Rodriguez, retired U.S. Air Force service member Dan Sawatzki and attorney Jennifer Sundt. JACQUELYN F. CALLANEN Elections Administrator. padding-left: 16px; max-height: 580px; Democratic primary for Bexar County District Clerk The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Bexar County District Clerk on March 1, 2022. } } .votebox { } Elections Committee April 20, 2023 - 8:00 AM HB 223 For: De Hoyos, Rose Marie (Self; Primary manager and precinct chair for Bexar County Democratic Party) Gutierrez, Gloria (Self; Bexar County Democratic Party) Ramos, Mary Ann (Self; Bexar County Democratic Party) Against: Johnson, Ed (Self) On: Adkins, Christina (Texas Secretary of State) } $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => { .votebox-results-cell--number { text-align: left !important; } He pointed to his background with the childrens court. background-color: #dac113; @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { More by San Antonio Report Staff, Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Other areas of focus in his campaign include alleviating road congestion and bridging the digital divide. Analysis: Though Congressman Henry Cuellar has been elected to Congressional District 28 since 2005, he saw his most serious challenge in the 2020 Democratic primary. width: 250px; With early voting starting Monday, Sakai appears to have the edge in fundraising, with more than $135,000 raised, $56,000 spent and nearly $300,000 total cash on hand, according to his January financial report. } padding-left: 8px; elections.bexar.org. On the Bexar County level is the race for county judge, which will change the county's leadership after 20 years under Nelson Wolff. Sakai has said his 26 years as a district judge and previous experience as a municipal lawyer equipped him to repair the justice system and build bridges of collaboration. Please note, the application along with the filing fee or petition in lieu of filling fee must be filed at the same time with the proper filing authority. So Im greatly confident that because of that executive experience in my office that she will be a wonderful Bexar County judge, Nirenberg said in a video on Gonzalezs Facebook page. Meet the 7 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. $('.showResponses').show(); There were no incumbents in this race. display: inline; .race_header.republican { div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } margin-right: 12px; })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. Hes endorsed by the Tejano Democrats of Bexar County, and his website features testimonials from childrens and family support advocates. color: #888; $('.hideResponses').hide(); The winner of this Democratic primary will face either Trish DeBerry or Nathan Buchanan, Republican candidates for County Judge, in the general election. Get more election news on KSATs Vote 2022 page. Two Republicans,. I have spent all of my time giving back to my community any time that I can, she said. Incumbent Wayne Christian and Sarah Stogner are in the Republican primary runoff. Create a bonsai tree out of bricks with this $40 LEGO set, Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Save on AeroGarden indoor herb growing kits at Amazon. Meredith Chacon, a former Bexar County prosecutor, has already taken aim at Gonzales policies. Dorazio has served as a Republican Party precinct chairman for more than three decades, including a stint as the head of the Bexar County Republican Party from 2017 to 2018. margin: 0; } Democratic primary election Democratic primary for Bexar County District Clerk The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Bexar County District Clerk on March 1, 2022. Sakai, whose decades-long work to improve the welfare of children and families has been nationally recognized, resigned from his position overseeing the 225th District Court last year. On ExpressNews.com: DeBerry enters race to succeed Wolff as Bexar County judge. Guide to key state and local races that Texas and Houston-area voters will decide in the May 24 primary runoff election, including Texas Attorney General, Harris County judge, and more. clear: both; position: relative; } State and local courts | } font-weight: bold; Meet Our Business Members & Supporting Foundations. The victory is short-lived, as the two will rematch in November after uncontested primary races in March. complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. The attorney generals race has attracted several high-profile Republican challengers to Paxtons tenure, including Texas General Land Office Commissioner George P. Bush, Congressman Louie Gohmert and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman. "I love serving the residents of Cumberland County. display: inline-block; Here are the 2022 candidates running for Bexar County judge, criminal district attorney, Commissioners Court and district and county clerk. .clearfix { A primary was scheduled for March 1, 2022. Former State District Judge Peter Sakai is a Democratic candidate for Bexar County judge. He has twice run for the 15th Congressional District, which stretches from the San Antonio area to the southern border. } See the Republican ballot here. padding-bottom: 3px; State Rep. Ina Minjariez, second from top, answers a question as she sits between court system reformer Gerardo X. Ponce, from top, mayoral and political adviser Yvalis Meza Gonzalez and former Judge Peter Sakai during the Bexar County Democratic Partys county judge candidate forum at Mt. *This interview was recorded on Thursday, February 10. top: 0px; When's my deadline? GOP candidates running in the primary include San Antonio businessman Adam Blanchard, former San Antonio City Council member Elisa Chan, banking executive Mark Daniel Cuthbert and Mark Dorazio, a former Bexar County GOP Chair. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. The daughter of Choco Meza, a longtime fixture in West Side politics who died in 2016, Gonzalez has described herself as that little girl that grew up going to labor events with my parents. She sees public service as a birthright. word-wrap: break-word; width: 100%; $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { Wolff has appointed former appeals court judge Marialyn Barnard as interim commissioner, the voters in November will decide on who will fill out the rest of the term until 2024. 3 post to run for the county judge position. Its one of the few House districts that grew more competitive after 2021 redistricting. Read more: Whos running for district attorney, district judge and county court judge in 2022. Many potential successors are lining up for the reliably Republican House seat, which covers parts of northern Bexar County. Candidate information comes from Texas Secretary of State data, the candidates and other sources. } If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Rather than have candidates run for the county commissioner post in the primary, state law dictates that each county political party will nominate a candidate. Through 27 years practicing law in Centre County, Julia has worked tirelessly to . He is the owner of a construction company. }) U.S. Representative . Wolff, who has been county judge since 2001, made the announcement in October with more than a year left on his term. Nonprofit journalism for an informed community. Democrats Ramirez and Vallejo received the most votes. .inner_percentage.Democratic { .votebox_bp_logo { width: 43%; Peter Sakai has been a district judge for 26 years, focusing on issues affecting families and children. She serves as a member of the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study Coordinating Committee; Local Emergency . Beckley and Collier are competing in the runoff for a chance to face Republican powerhouse Lt. Gov. Former mayoral chief of staff Ivalis Meza Gonzalez is a Democratic candidate for Bexar County judge. font-size: .9em; There are 15 members of the state Board of Education, which sets policies and standards for Texas public schools, including the curriculum and graduation requirements. 3 Commissioner Trish DeBerry.
. border: 1px solid #999; .results_row td:first-child { Zapata is a progressive activist and community organizer from Austin. height: 56px; .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } } 2023 Nonprofit journalism for an informed community. background-color: #db0000; Democrats Dudding and Vega advance to a runoff that will decide who faces popular two-term GOP incumbent Comptroller Glenn Hegar. Scott Huddleston is a veteran staff writer, covering Bexar County government, local history, preservation and the Alamo. Texas heavily gerrymandered 35th Congressional District means parts of San Antonios urban core and northeast suburbs share a representative with a large swath of Austin. This way of doing things in politics hasnt worked for years, Buchanan said in an interview on YouTube. Zion First Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. $('.pastResponses').hide(); } display: table; padding-bottom: 5px; text-align: center; What are their qualifications to be the next County Judge? Vallejo is a small business owner, managing a family-run market in Alton. .race_header.green { margin-bottom: -2px !important; Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The Democrats also have a crowded race, featuring Mike Fields, Rochelle Mercedes Garza, Joe Jaworski, Lee Merritt and S. TBone Raynor. Buckingham now faces Westley in the Republican runoff. p.survey-response {margin-left:10px;} padding-bottom: 0px; }. background-color: #f4f4f4; width: 100%; Both candidates have raised millions of dollars over the last six months and have already begun campaigning against each other. } DeBerry threw her hat in the ring just hours before the filing deadline, making the decision to resign from the Pct. z-index:1; Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. With the decision of moderate Republican state Rep. Lyle Larson to step down, the District 122 seat in north Bexar County is up for grabs. .results_text { font-weight: bold; But Cuellar remains popular in Laredo and wields power in Washington as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. Bexar County reporting 100 percent. }) Analysis: Nominations are all but guaranteed for Democrat Tommy Calvert and Republican Larry Ricketts, who are running unopposed for Bexar County Commissioner Pct. To find out which precinct you live in, click here. She was the co-sponsor on a bill that would reduce property taxes for elderly and disabled homeowners if approved by voters in May. 3 county commissioner here. The open seat in a Democrat-leaning district has attracted four candidates, including state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, former Austin City Councilman Greg Casar and former San Antonio City Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran. The winner will face the Republican nominee, former County Commissioner Trish DeBerry, in the Nov. 8 general election. .votebox_legend { Here are the 2022 candidates running for Bexar County judge, criminal district attorney, Commissioners Court and district and county clerk. color: white; Marion County Republicans have halted slating.
Texas was won by Republican Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence by a 8.99% margin over Democrats Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. padding-top: 8px; In a public statement in February, he said he was confident the investigation would show no wrongdoing, and the focus of the FBI investigation isnt known. margin-bottom: 0; On the Democratic ticket, social worker Priscilla Golden will face John Lira, a Marine. Larson had become increasingly outspoken against his own party throughout the previous legislative sessions as his party passed controversial bills on voting and abortion. Tags: Bexar County, Politics, Election, Texas, Vote 2023 Rolls of "I Voted Early" stickers await voters in the final hours of early voting in the primary election in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, May . } Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 37 talking about this. width: 350px; The governor's race is perhaps the biggest election for Texas where most are anticipating the midterm will be between Beto O'Rourke and Gov. Progressive Democrat Jessica Cisneros is taking her second run at unseating longtime moderate U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, and this time she is getting unexpected help in the form of a recent FBI raid on the incumbents home. U.S. Representative . Gonzalez worked in Nirenbergs office for four years, promoted to chief of staff during the first COVID-19 surge in June 2020. Bexar County Judge Democratic Runoff. overflow-x: scroll; Mayoral and political adviser Yvalis Meza Gonzalez answers a question during the Bexar County Democratic Partys county judge candidate forum at Mt. That way, good candidates would have time to launch their campaigns, he said. .infobox { Before that, though, Abbott and ORourke will need to win the March primaries. background-color: grey; But as voters go to the polls on Tuesday, there are five primaries that Bexar County residents should be watching. U.S. Representative . Democratic primary for Bexar County Sheriff Incumbent Javier Salazar defeated Sharon Rodriguez, Michelle Barrientes Vela, Jos Trevio, and Pete Lozano in the Democratic primary for Bexar County Sheriff on March 3, 2020. }) The retirement of two longtime Bexar County district court judges and the ouster of several county court-at-law judges in 2010 have produced an unusually large slate of judicial candidates on the . Collier, a Houston accountant, is vying for a rematch against incumbent Republican Dan Patrick after losing to him by fewer than 5 percentage points in 2018. I feel like my leadership was exemplified in this moment.. How to run for office | .non_result_row { If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Blanchards campaign has vastly outraised the other candidates. display: block; } font-weight: bold; .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { PublishedFebruary 9, 2022 at 6:22 PM CST, unmatched depth of county-wide experience, How Private Equity makes all our lives worse. All results are unofficial until canvassed. } $('#candidate-connection-email-73580').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); .survey-result {padding:10px;} .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { } She left the body in 2013 after making a number of homophobic comments, which were revealed by the San Antonio Express-News. See the full sample ballot at the bottom of the article. The Young Republicans of Bexar County and Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County have endorsed her. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource. } Democrats Marquez and Ortega are competing in the runoff for this blue-leaning district where the incumbent did not file for re-election. | The three-candidate Democratic primary has been narrowed to a runoff between former district court judge Peter Sakai, who led with 41 percent in the March contest, and state Rep. Ina Minjarez,. We need change. A third candidate teacher and organizer Tannya Judith Benavides is also running in the Democratic primary. } He is running to end divisive rhetoric and lists 13 policy priorities, including affordable housing and border security, according to his website. letter-spacing: 0.03em; Those candidates will go head-to-head on the November ballot. She is a member of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board. display: inline-block; } The winner will face Republican nominee Misty Spears, who was unopposed in the primary. } .inner_percentage.Libertarian { Here are just a few of our accomplishments: Won 51 of 51 races in 2018 Gubernatorial Election Recruited and retained Precinct Chairs and Precinct Coordinators, bringing the total of current DEMOCRATIC Precinct Chairs from 130 to 376 - 66% of Bexar County population now has precinct chairs } padding-top: 3px; .votebox { } He ran as a Republican in 2010 for a state House seat in El Paso. With only a few months before primary elections, candidates across Bexar County are ramping up their campaigns. position: relative; background-color: white; The House seat will be a good barometer gauging Republicans progress with reaching Hispanic voters in Central and South Texas. .votebox-results-cell--check { Rates will vary and . 106 Auditorium Circle #120. McQueen, a Navy veteran and engineer, served as mayor of Corpus Christi for 37 days in 2016 and 2017. margin-top: 16px; DeBerry, positioning herself as fiscally conservative yet moderate on social issues, has been criticized for resigning one year into her four-year elected term as a county commissioner to run for Wolffs seat. There is also the race for the district attorney that has a member of the LaHood family running on the Republican side. } .widget-row.value-only { Most recently, Larson expressed disappointment in how Republicans handled redistricting. margin-right: 10px; The four Democratic candidates for Bexar County judge appear at a Jan. 13 forum. Abbott to stop migrant busing. The debate over Prop A--the Justice Charter Amendment, Twenty-Four Seven: A Podcast About Caregiving. .inner_percentage.Green { .race_header.libertarian { Reach out at steven.santana@mysa.com. The departure has not only attracted current and former elected officials, but a few outsiders, too. He has emphasized his familiarity with the workings of the county government and wants to focus on economic development, infrastructure and workforce development. Incumbent Javier Salazar defeated Sharon Rodriguez, Michelle Barrientes Vela, Jos Trevio, and Pete Lozano in the Democratic primary for Bexar County Sheriff on March 3, 2020. Beckley, a pet shop owner from Carrollton, is a two-term member of the Texas House of Representatives. .votebox-scroll-container { Bexar County Republican Party Chair John Austin touts his leadership as a return to competency in the wake of his controversial predecessor, Cynthia Brehm. } Key issues include leadership styles and election integrity. Minjarez has legal experience as an attorney for over 20 years and a former prosecutor in the DAs office, along with a legislative background dealing with education, transportation, opioid abuse and a strained foster care system. background-color: red; Heres a breakdown of the Bexar County, Texas and federal races to watch. Gerard Rickhoff defeated Willie Vasquez Ng and Gary Garcia in the Republican primary for Bexar County Sheriff on March 3, 2020. Counties | left: 0px; But one of the most influential political titles in San Antonio is up for grabs as Nelson Wolff steps down from the seat after more than 20 years as presiding officer of the Commissioners Court. Please support our reporting with a donation to help ensure all San Antonio voters are informed at the ballot box.