Brownsville's Early Voter Numbers Fall Below Harlingen's, UTB's Project 100% Falls Flat, Rain Saturday?

Former Mayor Pat Ahumada, during the rhetoric of the Fly Frontera Airline scam, liked to say: "McAllen  is kicking our butt!"

Now, it appears that in terms of early voting, Harlingen, a city 1/3 the size of Brownsville, just kicked our non-voting butt, 2,643 to 2,317.

Some may find consolation in the fact that Harlingen is electing a mayor, while Brownsville is simply not voting in a City Commission race.  Others blame Chris Davis, the newly appointed election commissioner, for giving us more restrictive voting hours.  In 2012 six early voting locations were open till 7:00 PM with one night actually 8:00 PM.  For 2013 Davis set up four locations, with the polls closing at 5:30 PM.(The Election Office was open until 8:00 PM the first day of early voting.)  Actually, retailers learned many years ago that 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM doesn't work nearly as well as 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

With the exception of the Brownsville Public Library, being an election clerk is as exciting as being a Maytag repairman.  UTB's Mary Rose Cardenas Hall processed 151 voters during 61 hours of operation, 2.47 per hour.(Project 100% City Commissioner Candidate Forum, sponsored by the Center for Civic Engagement and the League of Women Voters, was attended by perhaps two dozen students.)  Here is one comment on the subject made after the forum:

UTB's Project 100 percent Vote is a joke. The turnout is EXTREMELY dismal for the polling site at the University. They have access to address, e-mails, etc. for all students and staff, and they couldn't even send info to students. I know lots of the blame should be placed on the apathy of students, but if you're going to lead a get-out-the-vote charge, then actually take charge and do it.

UTB/TSC has a combined student population of 13,836 with 8.8% being under 18, voting age.  That leaves 12,176 potential voters, easily enough to control any Brownsville election in the foreseeable future.  So, with respect to Project 100%, the failure is not in the idea but the implementation.  

The voter traffic at the Southmost Public Library was even sparser than at UTB, 98 voters during 61 hours of operation, 1.6 voters per hour.  On Monday, May 6, only 3 voters showed up all day.  Would there have been more Southwest interest if Rose Gowen had accepted Roberto Uresti's offer of two debates in that locale?

Now, Tim Smith is forecasting a 50% chance for thunderstorms on election Saturday, May 11.  When it rains, it pours.