Okay, Politicians--Shut Up! Its Our Turn Now!

The politicians have had their say, now its time for them to shut up and for us to start voting, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

Early voting opens today in Texas, and as much as three quarters of the entire vote is expected to be cast before mid term election day November 6.  Early voting ends November 2.

Bexar County Elections Administrator Jackie Callanan says this is the eighth election in Bexar County this year for her poll workers and judges.

"And now we're asking them to come back again to work on the biggest election of the year."

In 'biggest,' she means the longest ballot.  So when you show up to vote, be ready to spend a little more time than usual in the voting booth.

"They have put in extra hours, people who were ready to go on vacation have cancelled their vacation," she said.

In addition to the hotly contested political races, including U.S. Senate, two big Congressional races, and races for county wide office, like judges and Commissioner and County Judge, voters in San Antonio will see the three Charter Amendments on the ballot.

Richard Perez, who heads the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, says they are economy killers and he is urging people to vote No.

"If people don't go vote no, our taxes are going to go up, and we are only going to be able to attract talent which is not qualified to run our city," he said.

Perez is discussing the first two proposals by the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, which would drastically lower the threshold for citizens to circulate petitions to overturn acts of City Council, and the one that would limit the pay and term of service of the next city manager.

"We are on such a fantastic trajectory when it comes to the economy, why would we want to hamstring our businesses?" he asked.

Voters in fast growing northwest Bexar County will also see a question on the ballot asking if they want to be annexed by the city.  That proposal is expected to be defeated overwhelmingly, but a defeat would give the City, under a 2017 state law, the authority to regulate development in the area to protect Camp Bullis.

During early voting you can vote at any early voting place, unlike on election day, when your precinct usually votes at some church you'e never heard of.

You have to show an accepted form of photo id, like a driver's license, passport, or even a gun permit.  If you don't have a photo id, there are other forms of identification which are acceptable under the newly revised voter id law, including a utility bill.  If you one of those forms of id, you'll have to sign a statement under penalty of perjury that you are the same person and live at the same address as the non photo id.

'Selfies' are not allowed in the voting booth.

Callanan says she is also preparing for some of the emotions that we have seen on the campaign trail this year to show up at the polls, and is working with police to enforce limits on where campaigning can take place.