Comal County Edition

» ONLINE VOTERS GUIDE

e Vote r s Guid e is available online at VOTE411.org. By entering your address

and zip code, you can view races and candidates that appear on your ballot, com-

pare candidates’ responses to questions posed by the League, and create a print-

out of a ballot to take to the polls. You can also nd out where to vote!

VOTERS GUIDE

GENERAL ELECTION » NOVEMBER 3, 2020

EARLY VOTING: Oct. 13–30, 2020

ELECTION DAY: Nov. 3, 2020. Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

» ABOUT THIS VOTERS GUIDE

is Vot ers Guid e is funded and published by the League of Women

Voters of Texas and LWV ot the Comal Area. e League never

supports or opposes political candidates or political parties.

» VOTING IN TEXAS

First General Election without straight-party voting!

Beginning with the November 3 General Election, voters may no longer check

one box to vote for one party’s candidates in every partisan race. Instead, vot-

ers mark a candidate for each race. Candidates representing a party are identied

with a letter following their name: “R” for Republican, “D” for Democrat, “L”for

Libertarian, or “G” for Green. Candidates in many local elections are non partisan

and do not represent a party.

How do I ﬁnd my polling place?

Go to VOTE411.org or your county election website.

What is on my ballot?

• Find a sample ballot on your county election website!

• Compare candidates with the League’s nonpartisan Voters Guide at

VOTE411.org.

• Take your list of candidates to the polls when you go vote!

• You may bring the League’s Voters Guide to the polls.

• You cannot use your phone in the voting booth.

Note: Changes to voting processes could occur aer the Vote r s Guid e is pub-

lished. Go to VOTE411.org for the most up-to-date election information.

» EMPOWERING VOTERS.

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.

» SUPPORT THE VOTERS GUIDE

Help us fund the cost of this valuable resource for Texas voters by donating to

the League of Women Voters of Texas, 1212 Guadalupe #107, Austin, TX 78701, or

make a secure donation online at lwvtexas.org.

DONATE

» VOTERS GUIDE CONTENTS

Vote Safe 2

U.S. President 3

U.S. Senator 4

U.S. Representative 6

Where to Vote 8

Railroad Commissioner 10

Texas Supreme Court 11

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals 15

State Board of Education 17

Texas House of Representatives 18

Comal County Commissioner 19

NBISD 21

Voter Identication 23

» SIGN UP FOR

VOTING REMINDERS!

Text LWVTX to 80123 to receive voting reminders

on your phone or sign up at

my.lwv.org/Texas/get-voting-reminders

U.S. President » U.S. Senator » Railroad Commissioner » Texas Supreme Court » Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

» State Board of Education » Texas State Representative » Court of Appeals » Comal County Commissioner » NBISD

Changes to voting processes could occur after the Voters Guide is published.

Go to VOTE411.org for the most up-to-date election information.

Comal County Edition

e League of Women Voters of Texas encourages you to “Be a Safe Texas Voter!”

in the 2020 elections. We ght for the right of ALL Texas voters to participate in

our democracy while protecting their health. Your vote is more important than

ever ... share these tips for voting safely.

» VOTE BY MAIL

If you are voting by mail ...

• Ballots are mailed out 30–45 days before an election or 7 days aer the county

election oce receives an application.

• Mail in your ballot as soon as possible.

• Use a blue or black pen, not a pencil, to ll out the ballot.

• Sign the ballot and the envelope with the same signature you used on your

application.

• Ballots may need two stamps.

To hand deliver your vote by mail ballot

• e voter may hand deliver their marked ballot in-person to the county elec-

tion oce during early voting and on election day while polls are open. Check

with your county election oce for times and locations.

• e voter must show an ID when delivering the ballot, and sign a signature roster.

If you received a ballot to vote by mail, but decide to vote in person

• Take your unmarked ballot with you to the polling place and turn it in to the

voting clerk. You will be allowed to vote a regular ballot.

• If you lose or forget your ballot, you can still cast a ballot at the polling place.

In this case, you will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot.

» VOTE IN PERSON

e Texas Secretary of State provides the following recommendations for voting

in person during COVID

• sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/advisory2020-19.shtml

• sos.texas.gov/elections/forms/health-protocols-for-voters.pdf

Voters are encouraged to:

• wear a mask

• practice social distancing by spacing themselves at least six feet apart

• bring a pen and hand sanitizer

• bring a list of candidates you are voting for. Use of mobile phones is prohibited

in the voting booth, so be sure to bring what you need on paper, not on your

phone.

» VOTE EARLY

• Voters may vote early at any voting location in their county.

• Find your polling site at VOTE411.org or your county election website.

• A voter with a disability and their helper who are in line to vote in person may

request to move ahead of other voters in line.

» CURBSIDE VOTING

• Available for voters who are physically unable to enter the polling place with-

out personal assistance or likelihood of injuring their health, or voters who

have signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

• Voters who meet these qualications may ask an election ocer to bring a bal-

lot to their car.

» VOTE DURING NON-PEAK HOURS!

During early voting and especially on Election Day, vote during non-peak hours

such as mid-morning or mid-aernoon. Avoid the busiest periods of early morn-

ing, lunchtime and aer work.

» SUSPENDED VOTER

You can still vote if your voter registration is in suspense! “Suspense” means that

your county voter registrar needs to conrm your voting address.

» HOW TO VOTE A LIMITED BALLOT ONLY!

During early voting, a registered voter who has moved from the county in which

he or she is registered to a new county of residence in Texas, and who will not be

registered to vote in the new county before Election Day, may be eligible to vote a

“limited ballot.” A limited ballot allows you to vote on state and national races.

VOTE SAFE

The Voters Guide is available online at VOTE411.org and lwvcomal.org.

By entering your address and zip code on Vote411.org, you can view races

and candidates that appear on your ballot, compare candidates’ responses

to questions posed by the League, and create a print- out of a ballot to

take to the polls. You can also ﬁnd out where to vote!

U.S. PRESIDENT

The President is: the head of state of the United States of America; the Chief Executive

Ofﬁcer; and, the Commander in Chief of all military forces. The powers of the President

are prescribed in the Constitution and federal law. The President appoints the members

of the Cabinet, ambassadors to other nations and the United Nations, Supreme Court

Justices, and federal judges, subject to Senate approval. The President, along with the

Cabinet and its agencies, is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws of the

United States. The President may also recommend legislation to the United States

Congress. Current Annual Salary: $400,000 per year

Note: All candidates who will appear on your ballot are listed below but only

those that meet the following criteria were invited to respond to the League’s

questions in this guide.

1. e candidate must have made a public announcement of her/his intention to

run for President.

2. e candidate must meet the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act’s min-

imum contribution threshold requirements for qualifying for matching funds,

based on the most recent data publicly available on the Federal Elections Com-

mission website.

3. e candidate must qualify for the ballot in enough states to win a majority of

electoral votes.

All qualied presidential candidates were invited to provide biographical in-

formation and responses to specic questions. Responses were limited to a spe-

cic number of characters and were truncated thereaer. If a candidate did not

respond by the date of publication, “Candidate has not yet responded.” is printed.

» Donald J. Trump (R) Candidate has not yet responded. Campaign Website: http://www.donaldjtrump.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/

Twitter: @realDonaldTrump

» Joseph R. Biden (D)

Campaign Website: http://www.joebiden.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joebiden

Twitter: twitter.com/joebiden

Q: What actions would you take to balance public health and

economic recovery in the US, both in light of COVID-19 and

for the long term?

A: It’s a false choice to think we have to choose between our public health and

economy; they’re linked. On Day One, I’ll implement the COVID strategy I’ve

laid out since March—surging testing and protective gear; distributing vaccines

safely and free of politics; helping schools and small businesses cover costs; and

getting state and local governments resources to keep educators, cops, and re-

ghters on the job. I’ll respect science and tell the truth, period. And I’ll build

our economy back better, creating millions of good-paying jobs. I’ll revitalize

manufacturing, build a clean energy economy, and boost caregiving—easing the

squeeze on working families, providing paid leave, and getting caregivers the re-

spect and pay they deserve.

Q: What is the most important issue facing our country and how do you plan to

address it during your rst 100 days in oce?

A: Pandemic. Recession. Racial injustice. Climate change. We’re facing historic

crises; we have to tackle them all at once. Character and experience count. I’ll lis-

ten to scientists, tell the truth, and make sure we’re never so unprepared for a pan-

demic again. I’ll expand the Aordable Care Act, lowering costs and making

health care a right for all. I’ll build our economy back better, and make racial eq-

uity central to recovery. In these crises, we have an enormous opportunity, if we

come together. As President, I’ll draw on the best of us, not the worst. I’ll work as

hard for those who don’t support me as for those who do. at’s a president’s job: to

represent us all. To take responsibility. To protect the nation. To unite and toheal.

Q: How will you address racial injustice in our country on day one of your

administration?

A: America is at an inection point. It’s past time to end our inequities and deal

with the denial of our nation’s promise to too many for too long. I’ll ght to end the

health inequities that COVID-19 amplies; and give every child the same strong

start in life by oering universal Pre-K, tripling funding for Title I schools, and

making public college debt-free for most families. I’ll make racial equity central

to our recovery, closing the racial wealth and income gaps, boosting home owner-

ship, and investing in communities and entrepreneurs of color—building a stron-

ger, more inclusive middle class for the future. And, I’ll work for real police reform

and invest in shiing our criminal justice focus from incarceration to prevention.

Q: What aspects of our current immigration policy will your administration ad-

dress rst?

A: My immigration policy is built around keeping families together. It’s past time

to reform our broken system, restoring family unication and diversity as its core

pillars. As President, I’ll reverse Trump’s assault on our values on Day One, end-

ing his cruel border policies that rip children from their mothers’ arms. I’ll act

immediately to protect Dreamers and their families, and invest real political cap-

ital in nally delivering legislative immigration reform, with a roadmap to citi-

zenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented people who already do so much

to make our communities strong. We have to enforce our laws, but in a way that’s

humane, respects due process, honors our values, and sees the big picture.

Q: What will you do over the long term to ensure access to quality healthcare

forall?

A: is pandemic makes clear: All Americans need access to quality, aordable

health insurance. at’s why I’ll protect and build on the Aordable Care Act. I

helped to secure the nal key votes to pass that landmark law, protecting 100 mil-

lion Americans who can no longer be turned away or denied coverage for pre-

existing conditions, and bringing coverage to 20 million more. As President, I’ll

build on that progress with a public option and lower health care and prescrip-

tion drug costs. I’ll make all COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines free;

double funding for community health centers that are so oen on the frontlines

of care; and much more.

e following candidates have qualied for the Texas state ballot according to the

Secretary of State of Texas but did not meet the LWVEF criteria.

» Jo Jorgensen(L)

» Howie Hawkins (G)

U.S. SENATOR

Six-year term. One of two members of the U.S. Senate from Texas. The Senate has the

exclusive power to advise and consent on presidential nominations to executive and judicial

ofﬁces, to ratify U.S. treaties, and to try impeachments. With the U.S. House, the Senate

adopts budgets, levies taxes, borrows money, regulates interstate commerce, provides

services, adopts regulations, and declares war. Current annual salary: $174,000

» What does a senator do? https://youtu.be/K_fSu4Cd9xw

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience, and background qualify you for this

position?

Immigration: What are your priorities regarding the immigration system?

Healthcare: How would you address access to and the cost of healthcare?

Gun Violence: What are your recommendations to protect students from gun

violence?

COVID-19: What actions, if any, do you believe are needed to address the health

and economic impact caused by COVID-19?

Voting Rights: What actions, if any, would you take to ensure that all eligible

voters have equal access to safe and fair elections?

Vouchers: What is your position on using public funds for private school

vouchers and why?

Two Minute Video Option: Comment on the recent civil rights

demonstrations.

» John Cornyn (R)

Qualiﬁcations: John Cornyn was elected to the Texas Su-

preme Court in 1990. In 1998, he was elected Attorney Gen-

eral of Texas. In 2002, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Senator

Cornyn serves on the Senate’s Judiciary, Finance, and Intelli-

gence Committees.

Immigration: Recognizing we are a nation of immigrants, Senator Cornyn has

voted in support of a permanent legislative solution for Dreamers who call Texas

their home. e Senator cosponsored the Secured and Succeed Act in 2018, which

proposed a solution for DACA recipients that provides a pathway to citizenship

for 1.8 million young adults.

Healthcare: Senator Cornyn supports a system that: protects those with pre-

existing conditions; lowers the cost of prescription drugs by increasing gener-

ics; increases competition by allowing cross-state health insurance; lowers out of

pocket costs for seniors on Medicare; reestablishes the privacy of the doctor pa-

tient relationship

Gun Violence: Sen. Cornyn believes the right to keep and bear arms is a sa-

cred Constitutional right for Texans. But we must ensure guns are kept out of the

hands of criminals and domestic abusers. He believes we need to eliminate unli-

censed rearm dealers, which will mean more people get background checks be-

cause all Federal Firearms Licenses are required to complete those.

COVID-19: Sen. Cornyn voted for the CARES Act, which sent stimulus checks

to individuals who—through no fault of their own—were unable to work and

earn a paycheck, and established the Paycheck Protection Program—a criti-

cal lifeline that helped ensure businesses could bridge the gap without laying o

employees.

Voting Rights: Sen. Cornyn believes that any Texan who wants to vote safely

can do so under existing law. If you’re over 65 or you’re disabled, you can vote by

mail. Or if you are not going to be present in your county on Election Day, Gov.

Abbott has extended the early voting period.

Vouchers: School choice empowers parents to choose the setting that best ts

their child’s unique interests, learning style and educational needs. While educa-

tion is rightfully managed at the local and state level, our entire country has a stake

in ensuring we are raising highly educated, analytical, well-rounded citizens.

Two Minute Video Option: https://www.youtube.com/v/WLnXOc9afTU

Campaign Website: http://www.johncornyn.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johncornyn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teamcornyn

» Mary ‘MJ’ Hegar (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I have served our country, am a working

mom, and live the challenges of regular Texans. I served 3 tours

in Afghanistan as a medevac pilot, earning a Purple Heart &

DFC w/ Valor and took on DC to make our military stronger.

I’m the ghter we need.

Immigration: We need comprehensive immigration reform that reects our

core American values—the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We

must streamline the process for applying for and receiving citizenship, create a

pathway to citizenship for those here, protect DREAMers, permanently end child

separation and secure the border with eective procedures & technology.

Healthcare: During my 5 years working in health care, it was clear that our sky-

rocketing costs and high uninsured rate were unsustainable. As we face a pan-

demic and beyond, I’ll ght for access to quality aordable health care for every

Texan, and for their right to determine whether that is a public option or their

current plan.

Gun Violence: As a mother of two young boys, gun violence survivor and a re-

sponsible gun owner, I say enough is enough. We must pass common-sense gun

safety legislation to require background checks on every single gun sale, includ-

ing closing the gun show loophole. We must also stop selling weapons of war to

the public.

COVID-19: We need to listen to experts, not politicians, when it comes to solv-

ing the public health and economic crisis. We must provide adequate testing that

is fully covered, protect our frontline workers, and improve contact tracing ca-

pacity. e economic recovery must center around supporting small businesses

and workers, while enforcing transparency and accountability measures.

Voting Rights: Having served 12 years in the military I’m committed to de-

fending our constitutional rights. I’ll work to expand access to registration and

voting, ght against voter suppression tactics, and support the John Lewis Vot-

ing Rights Act, restoring protections which have been weakened by the Supreme

Court.

Vouchers: I’m a proud product of public school and a mama bear for my two

young boys, and I will always ght for public schools and ALL of our kids. I op-

pose any policy that cuts or siphons funding from public schools.

Two Minute Video Option: My entire career I’ve fought to protect people’s

right to protest, and I stand with those peacefully demonstrating for change now.

It’s time for systemic reforms to x how we train and equip law enforcement and

improve their relationship with the public, and action to address the racial dis-

parities that go far beyond our criminal justice system.

Campaign Website: http://www.mjfortexas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MJforTexas/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjhegar

U.S. SENATOR

(continued)

» Kerry Douglas McKennon (L)

Qualiﬁcations: I have served on the executive committee for

the Libertarian Party of Texas. I have over 20 years of manage-

ment in the retail and food industry.

Immigration: Our rst priority is that no child is le in a cage

or separated from their family, reforming immigration pol-

icy means making it as simple as have the same policy for all immigrants from all

countries. More judges and caseworkers are needed to determine if those seeking

asylum can be allowed in, because an individual in a detention facility for three

year is unacceptable

Healthcare: Health insurance allowed to be purchased across state lines. e

cost of healthcare is due primarily to the amount of money being spent in ad-

ministration. We see within the VA and Medicare system; where actual treat-

ments are being delayed or not approved due to lack of doctors, but there is never

a shortage of admins boosting drug costs.

Gun Violence: Mental health and hate lie at the core of gun violence and those

who act in it’s wake. Hate is learned and can be unlearned, but is a very tough

row to hoe. Mental health is an issue that we can diagnosis and treat. ose are

not the answers that some individuals want to hear, but they are closer to protect-

ing our students than any gun ban.

» David B. Collins (G)

Qualiﬁcations: I am a US citizen, 30 years of age or more. In

college I studied political science, originally as my major eld

but eventually as a second eld toward a Texas teacher certica-

tion. Since then, as an activist, I have followed global politics.

Immigration: Make immigration policy humane, at last. e

US has helped make much of Central and South America unsafe for poor and

indigenous families for decades; this must stop. Let our neighbors in and give

them a path toward citizenship. If the ow of capital is globalized, with national

boundaries practically irrelevant, the movement of workers should be just as

unrestricted.

Healthcare: is nation should do what other wealthy nations have done suc-

cessfully: guarantee universal, single-payer health care. COVID-19 has made this

more urgent than ever. Improved Medicare for All will cover all ages, with den-

tal, mental, and optical coverage and no premiums. Once fully operational, it will

save the nation as a whole 50% on health care costs.

Gun Violence: When young people have hope for the future and access to the

mental health care they need, they will be far less likely to look to rearms to

“solve” their problems. Schools need to be places of nurturing and care for the

whole student, especially when their homes oen are not. Our government can

set a better example by not bombing people to boost corporate prots.

COVID-19: I think politicians are damned if they do and damned if they don’t

in a pandemic situation. What we can do is get the government out of the way of

treatment and care. It is dicult to say who is and who is not essential. For the

individual working that is now not essential by the government for them that

paycheck is essential to feed their family, to have shelter, etc.

Voting Rights: e Voters Rights Act has been a huge success. So much so that

preclearance at the federal level is rarely needed to ensure the right to vote. One

way to ensure eligible voters can access equal, safe, and fair elections is to stop the

gerrymandering that currently occurs from both old parties.

Vouchers: I oppose using public funds for private school vouchers. e main

reason is that those fund have been set aside for the use of public education. If a

parent or guardian chooses to send their child to a private school, the taxpayers

should not be paying for that choice.

Two Minute Video Option: Protest are always warranted. Violence as with

the Boston Tea Party is sometimes necessary when in defense of Liberty. I would

stand with Justin Amash in ending Qualied Immunity and gladly sponsor that

bill.

Campaign Website: http://www.mckennon2020.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KerryMcKennon2020/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/McKennon2020

COVID-19: Our 4% of the world’s population has about quarter of its COVID-19

deaths. If we had shut down public spaces, suspended rent and mortgage collec-

tions, and given US residents a livable income for a few months, like New Zea-

land and other countries, we would have saved thousands of lives and billions of

dollars. We could easily pay for this by redirecting defense funding.

Voting Rights: 1. Propose a Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing voting

rights for all US citizens 18 and up, including convicted felons, and prohibiting

states and counties from purging voter rolls. 2. Enact automatic voter registra-

tion and a federal database (which I know scares some people). 3. Approval voting

makes elections much fairer by avoiding the third-party “spoiler” problem.

Vouchers: Vouchers are a lazy solution to an avoidable problem. We can have

excellent public schools for everyone, and much more, if we cut our national “de-

fense” budget by half. Side note: Texas school districts should prioritize the mis-

sion of actually educating children rather than building palatial football stadia.

Two Minute Video Option: https://www.youtube.com/v/j9BLOvw9dys``I

wholeheartedly support the Movement for Black Lives, as do the Green Parties of

Texas and the US. Our platform calls for reparations and strong measures to end

racially motivated police violence.

Campaign Website: http://dbcgreentx.net

Facebook: https://facebook.com/dbc4senator2020

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dbcgreentx

U.S. SENATOR

(continued)

» VOTING IN TEXAS

e Texas primary runo is an extremely important election in Texas!

Voters in the Texas primaries and conventions choose who will run for oce

in the General Election. For many communities in Texas, their elected ocials

are chosen in the primary election because many districts heavily favor one party

over the other.

e Republican and Democratic Parties choose their candidates in a primary

election. e Libertarian and Green Parties choose their candidates in party

conventions.

Texas has open primaries. at means that ALL Texas voters can participate in

one of these events.

Voters who don’t strongly identify with any political party can and should

carefully consider the choices and participate in one of the primaries or conven-

tions. But you can only participate in one. Once a voter has voted in one party,

that voter cannot participate in another party’s primary election or convention.

For example: Voters who voted in the Republican primary may vote in the

Republican runo election. Voters who voted in the Democratic primary may

vote in the Democratic runo election. Voters who didn’t vote in either primary

election or convention may vote in either the Democratic or Republican runo

election.

e League encourages all registered voters to participate in the Texas Pri-

mary Election and vote for the best candidates. Don’t forget, voting in a primary

does not commit you to vote for a particular candidate in the general election.

BE A TEXAS VOTER!

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE - DISTRICT 21

Elected to a two-year term,

each representative serves the

people of a speciﬁc congres-

sional district by introducing

bills and serving on commit-

tees, among other duties.

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Q1: Are any federal laws needed to safeguard our democracy? Explain.

Q2: What legislation would you support to address the economic impact of

COVID-19?

Q3: What criminal justice reform do you recommend, if any?

Q4: What changes to our immigration system would you propose or support?

Q5: What is your position on climate change?

Q6: Do you recommend any changes to our health care system? Explain.

» Chip Roy (R) No Response Received

» Wendy R. Davis (D) 1: Restoration of the Voting

Rights Act and an end to partisan gerrymandering are

essential to restoring equitable access to the ballot.

» 2: Guided by public health experts, we need a cohesive

plan for safely getting people back to work and to school

so that our economy can thrive. is includes universal

mask wearing when social distancing is not practical, comprehensive COVID

testing with rapid turn-around, contact tracing and incentives to assure PPE

is made in America. It should also include nancial support to keep small/

medium businesses aoat (with transparency requirements) & unemployment

supplements.

» 3: While I do not support defunding the police, I support ending choke-holds,

no-knock warrants, qualied immunity, and criminalization of low level

marijuana possession. We should increase resources to mental health/drug

addiction & homelessness.

» 4: We can secure our borders while also comprehensively reforming our

immigration system, put an end to family separations, stop caging asylum

seekers and provide a path to citizenship to Dreamers.

» 5: I feel a profound responsibility to my granddaughters -- and all children

-- to do my part to deliver a sustainable future for them. We must invest in

clean energy jobs and transition from reliance on fossil fuels. We should

restore environmental protections that the Trump administration decimated,

constrain use of eminent domain for placement of private energy pipelines

and give communities a voice in environmental consequences of permitting

activities impacting their air and water.

» 6: Healthcare should be universal. We must protect the ACA, create a public-

option that provides subsidized coverage for people who are uninsured and

provides an option to employer-based health insurance. We should give

Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices; increase the number

of rural health centers/hospitals; expand tax breaks for the cost of private

insurance; expand the use of telemedicine; increase focus on preventative care;

stop the war on reproductive healthcare.

» Tom Wakely (G) 1:. We need to add criminal

penalties to violations of the Hatch Act to ensure civil

service employees don’t engage in political activity while

on the job. 2). We need to make harder for the Executive

Branch to remove Inspector General’s whose job it is to

perform oversight of federal agencies by conducting audits,

investigations, inspections, and other reviews. e removal of

an IG should only happen with the approval of Congress.

» 2: e best way to address the economic impact of COVID-19 is UBI or

universal basic income. Simply put UBI, which was the main focus of Andrew

Yang’s presidential campaign, would guarantee that every American received

a monthly check from the federal government (no strings attached) to ensure

they had enough money to pay their bills. Unlike Yang, I would back legislation

that would means test who would receive a check.

» 3: Our nation’s criminal-legal system denies the rights & dignity of all human

life, harms both victims & oenders, & disrupts communities. New policy

must re-envision & reform our current system, while restoring the common

good. e three areas of reform I would recommend are: 1. Ending CIVIL

FORFEITURE - e practice that let’s the police cease a person property

even if they have never been convicted of a crime; 2. Ending QUALIFIED

IMMUNITY which shields police & 3. LEGALIZING MARIJUANA;

» 4: My wife is from Mexico. Most of her family still live in Mexico & as such,

immigration is an important issue for me. I would support a 5 year pathway

to permanent status & citizenship for the 11 million unauthorized immigrants

currently living, working, and contributing in America today. I would

also support removing old or low-level contacts with the criminal justice

system, such as marijuana possession, that currently prevent undocumented

immigrants from attaining citizenship.

» Arthur Dibianca (L) 1: We need federal laws to protect

the voters’ right to vote for the candidates they want. e

Republican and Democratic Party hate competition, and they

have recently worked hard to throw Libertarian and Green

candidates o the ballot in Texas. I support legislation to

protect ballot access in federal elections.

2:Unfortunately, government interference has made this problem worse. is is

the wrong time to make it hard for Americans to get access to foreign products,

medical equipment, etc. I support free trade laws that allow our economy to be

more exible in response to crises like COVID-19.

3: e federal government encourages the militarization of police by providing

military equipment to them. I want to end that. I also want to end federal drug

prohibition, which is connected to many of the problems with police abuse we see

today. ere is a lot of evidence that our criminal justice system is lled with ra-

cial inequity, and that is wrong and needs to end.

4: Immigrants are our friends, not our enemies. I want to make it much easier for

foreign nationals to come live and work in the United States.

5: Climate change is a complex scientic question, and I am not a climate sci-

entist. However, I oppose eorts by the federal government to control or restrict

Americans’ energy choices.

6: Federal interference has made medical care far more expensive and compli-

cated than it needs to be. I want to reduce that interference. I want to cut federal

spending across the board, and that includes programs like Medicare and Medic-

aid. I know that position is unpopular with many Americans, but I believe it’s im-

portant and necessary. We need to start acting like grown-ups.

» Tom Wakely (G) continued

» 5: is is a CLIMATE EMERGENCY. Ice sheets are melting, the West coast is

burning. It is only a matter of time before a 75,000 year old carcass thaws out

somewhere & releases a deadly pathogen that will make COVID-19 seems like

the snies. As tillable land & fresh water disappear around the world, local

conicts will turn into regional conicts & war. I’m the only candidate on the

ballot for TX21 that understands that we must act now & that is why I support

a ban on fracking & aring.

» 6: Since the late 1980s I have advocated for universal healthcare or in today’s

language Medicare For All. With so many people out of work today due to

COVIS-19 it is ludicrous to continue to tie your healthcare to your job. I’m the

only candidate on the ballot for TX21 who supports MEDICARE FOR ALL.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE - DISTRICT 21

(Cont.)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE - DISTRICT 35

Elected to a two-year term, each

representative serves the people

of a speciﬁc congressional district

by introducing bills and serving on

committees, among other duties.

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Q1: What actions, if any, would you take to ensure that all eligible voters have

equal access to safe and fair elections?

Q2: What legislation would you support to address the health and economic im-

pact caused by COVID-19?

Q3: What criminal justice reform policies do you recommend, if any?

Q4: What other issue is your highest legislative priority and what legislation

would you introduce or support to address it?

» Jenny Garcia Sharon (R) - No Response Received

» Lloyd Doggett (D) Background: A life-long Texan, I

served in the TX State Senate, TX Supreme Court and U.S.

House, Chair of Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, 12x

“Best of Austin” Austin Chronicle award.

» Education: BA Business, JD, University of Texas at Austin

» 1:Vote by mail option for all. Resist Trump postal service sabotage. Restore

Voting Rights Act. Overrule Citizens United and secret corporate money

polluting our democracy. Replace outrageous gerrymandering with

nonpartisan redistricting panel. I sponsored H.R. 1, For the People Act, to limit

SuperPAC spending, improve voter registration and access, limit voter purges,

provide alternate nancing.

» 2:Assistance for virus testing, small businesses, unemployed. I am helping

hundreds of Texans access aid. Supported extensive assistance obstructed by

Trump enablers: more COVID testing & treatment, food security, another

relief payment, school safety, postal service, and state/local government

assistance, which Senate GOP Leader irresponsibly willing to bankrupt.

Overcome ongoing Trump deception.

» 3:Better security with fair, just treatment. Black Lives Matter since too oen

devalued. Sponsored George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, blocked by GOP, to

ban abusive practices, racial proling; create new training, empower federal

misconduct review; limit qualied immunity. Condition federal funding on

local compliance. Adequately fund many good ocers providing eective

community policing.

» 4:Healthcare-better Medicare for more. Defend current pre-existing conditions

protection from GOP attacks. Enact my bills: Medicare dental, vision, hearing

coverage; end surprise billing; better nursing home oversight; prescription

drug negotiation and protection of taxpayer pharma research investments to

stop price gouging. AARP awards twice recognized my eorts strengthening

health access.

» Mark Loewe (L) Background: Physics researcher.

Did microelectronics R&D. Devised progressive

school choice. Proposed 4 Texas House bills to let kids

permanently keep low cost math and science textbooks.

Education: PhD Physics, UT Austin. BS Chemistry, BS

Physics, UC Irvine. Taught physics at UT and Texas State

U. Coauthored a graduate-level quantum mechanics

textbook used worldwide.

» 1: To ease access, I favor making federal election days holidays. For elections

with more than two candidates, I favor instant-runo voting. To promote

accurate results and deter fraud in federal elections, I favor photo IDs,

recountable ballots, public access to photos of cast ballots and chain-of-

custody records, federal rules and payment for mandatory recounts, and severe

penalties for fraud.

» 2: Except to vet aliens for dangerous communicable diseases, I oppose health

limits on liberty without proof that a person is dangerous. To improve health

care and lower costs, I favor unlimited competition, with public access to track-

record and cost statistics of treatments and practitioners. I oppose bailouts that

would reward lavish spending, poor planning, and mismanagement by state

governments.

» 3: I devised progressive school choice to empower parents, especially poor

parents, to reject mediocre schools and choose safe schools that better serve

the individual needs, abilities, and interests of their children. Such choice

would greatly improve education and job skills, reduce disruptive behavior and

numbers of children who turn to drugs and crime, and is essential to criminal

justice reform.

» 4: Congress should eliminate federal debt, on which it gave away $574 billion

of interest in 2019. I would introduce a bill to direct the US Treasury to issue

money to pay for all goods and services Congress acquires and to pay down the

current debt by at least $2 trillion per year. I would introduce a Constitutional

amendment to prohibit Congress from incurring debt on which interest is

given away.

» Jason Mata Sr (G) Background: I am 47 years old;

born and raised in US District 35. I am happily married to

Rachel Gonzales-Mata for 24 years. We have 3 children and

a granddaughter. Education: I graduated from Fox Tech

High School and attended ITT Technical 1 1/2 years. At my

fathers urging due to his ailing health I decided to help him

with the non-prot org.

» 1: Due to COVID-19 I would support Vote By Mail with protocols in place to

minimize voter fraud. I will also work to assure that there are enough voting

sites available in all areas (rural, urban, and suburban) to have reasonable

access to voting sites. I will also push for Texas to modernize the election

process ensuring fair and just election results. Voters respond well to a fair

process.

» 2: I would support legislation that ensures that essential workers are secured

and protected. I would support legislation that protects vulnerable children

and elderly individuals who may be more At-Risk of contracting the COVID-19

virus. I would support legislation that focuses on a vaccine and that assures

that there would be more than enough PPE supplies, hospital beds, and

ventilators are avail

» 3: I will work to reform the Juvenile system in an eort to allow Juvenile

oenders an opportunity to overcome barriers and not repeat oenses. I will

work to close to pipeline of Juvenile to County Jail to Prison incarceration.

Every year, America spends millions of dollars treating the symptoms of

instead of prevention and intervention of Juvenile delinquency which may lead

to long term jail

» 4: Youth development, Family Strengthening and community safety are my top

priorities. I also have special legislation for Senior individuals who qualify as

low income. I would introduce and support legislation that would stream line

public benets and encourage furthering education and enrollment in trade

schools. I will have adequate sta that will be available to assist constituency.

WHERE TO VOTE - COMAL COUNTY

» HELPFUL CONTACTS AND WEBSITES

Secretary of State

sos.state.tx.us

VoteTexas.gov

League of Women Voters of Texas

lwvtexas.org https://my.lwv.org/texas

League of Women Voters (U.S.)

lwv.org

League of Women Voters - Comal Area lwvcomal.org

Republican Party Democratic Party Libertarian Party Green Party

texasgop.org txdemocrats.org lptexas.org txgreens.org

VOTE411.org

e League’s online Voters Guide

Election Protection Voter Hotline!

• 866-OUR-VOTE English

• 888-Ve-Y-Vota Spanish

• 888-API-VOTE English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bengali,

Urdu, Hindi, and Tagalog

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

Pipelines: What can the Texas Railroad Commission do to further ensure com-

pliance with pipeline regulations to avoid environmental harm?

Natural Resources: What can the Texas Railroad Commission do to promote

the reclamation and reuse of water resources used in fracking operations?

Flaring: What, if any, further regulations or limits are needed to address the im-

pact of aring on the environment?

RAILROAD

COMMISSIONER

Six-year term. The railroad commissioner is one of the three-member Texas Railroad

Commission. The commission has no regulatory authority concerning railroads.

Instead, it regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the

liqueﬁed petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining. Current salary:

$137,500

» What does the railroad commissioner do? https://youtu.be/Fm0BNjPUCic

» James “Jim” Wright (R)

Candidate has not yet responded.

» Chrysta Castañeda (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I have over 30 years of experience in the oil

and gas industry, as an engineer and attorney. I know the com-

plex technical and legal issues that face the industry. I will pro-

tect our natural resources and environment and keep industry

functioning.

Pipelines: e Commission should increase safety and emissions monitoring

to end catastrophic failures and eliminate methane leaks. It should implement a

more robust information system to know where all smaller intrastate and gather-

ing lines are located and permitted. e legislature must assign oversight author-

ity for pipeline permitting, right-of-way acquisition and condemnation.

Natural Resources: A reclamation and reuse program would ensure less fresh

water is used and would reduce the need for disposal wells. Program guide-

» Matt Sterett (L)

Qualiﬁcations: I run a small Oil & Gas Soware company.

Clients use the soware to forecast well data. Sometimes, that

data is from the RRC. I’ve been in the building & met w/ a few

RRC team members—I’m familiar with the organization’s digi-

tal operations.

Pipelines: Punt the responsibility to the courts. Texas is a litigious state. I think

the Texas courts have broadly supported property rights. As a Libertarian, I be-

lieve in strong private property rights. I also don’t believe in expanding regulators

activities. If / when environmental harm is done, I’d rather is be settled in a court

than a government agency.

» Katija “Kat” Gruene (G)

Qualiﬁcations: 3 decades of project & bus.mgmt. along w/

consensus-based facilitation; 2 decades of experience doing leg-

islative work, coalition building, campaigning, and leading an

environmental & social justice movement in a litigious & hos-

tile environment.

Pipelines: First, no new pipelines. Second, properly inspect and review existing

permits for compliance and safety. ird, hold corporations accountable for vi-

olations including restoration of & restitution in areas already harmed. Fourth,

stop taking political contributions from those they are regulating. Fih, enforce

new 2020 regulations, including updating existing pipelines.

Natural Resources: Ban Fracking Period. ere is no need for such a highly

lines, informed by experts, could provide best practices for operators. Updated

permitting and reporting requirements would ensure operator compliance.

To work,oversight must be provided by adequately trained and compensated

professionals.

Flaring: If the Railroad Commission would simply enforce the laws on the

books, we would dramatically impact greenhouse gasses and pollution. Flar-

ing and venting of natural gas are illegal activities and the Railroad Commission

should enforce those laws, which Texans enacted long ago to protect our natural

resources and our environment.

Campaign Website: http://chrystafortexas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrystaForTexas/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrystaForTexas

Natural Resources: As a Libertarian, I believe in strong private property

rights. I also don’t believe in expanding regulators activities. If / when environ-

mental harm is done, I’d rather is be settled in a court than a government agency.

Flaring: I’m against Flaring on the grounds that it’s *wasteful*. We have a lim-

ited amount of natural resources. In the past, when we’ve had to import, it has

meant foreign policy that led to wars. Title 3, Sub-chapter B Sec. 91.015 of the TX

Natural Resources Code (statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/NR/htm/NR.91.htm)

calls to “prevent waste of oil, gas”. e RRC has not upheld this.

Campaign Website: http://www.mattrrc.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sterett

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewsterett

wasteful, unsafe, and unsustainable practice. All water used in these operations

is no longer potable and because it is chemically altered, scientists believe it may

never be returned to the state of water—h2o. e emerging tech of onsite carrier

gas desalination plants could become a valid option if successful.

Flaring: ere are solutions, we just need to require them: power oxidation pro-

cess, are gas power generation, are gas reinjection in secondary oil recovery,

feedstock for petrochemical plants, LNG, CNG, & a small reactor that inexpen-

sively breaks water and methane into carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the eld

(syngas), which can then be used for energy and industrial products

Facebook: https://facebook.com/GreenTXRRC

Twitter: https://twitter.com/qweekat

» Nathan Hecht (R)

Qualiﬁcations: Yale BA 1971; SMU JD w/ honors 1974;

USNR JAGC 1971-1979 (hon. disch); 1976-1981 Locke rm as-

soc., ptr; 1981-1986 95th Dist. Ct., Dallas; 1986-1988 5th Ct. of

App., Dallas; 1989-2013, Tex. Supreme Ct Justice; Chief Justice

2013-present

Judicial Selection: Voters should decide who their judges are, but in par-

tisan elections, they don’t get to, because there are too may judges on the bal-

lot to know their qualications. It’s not voters’ fault. Party politics and cam-

paign fundraising are poisonous. Judges must follow the law. Appoint on

qualications,thenvoters elect to retain based on performance, holding them

accountable.

Standards: Judges and lawyers should engage with community leaders to en-

sure the justice system is seen as fair to all, as the Supreme Court and I did in

a “Beyond the Bench Summit” in Dallas. Civics education in schools should be

» Amy Clark Meachum (D)

Qualiﬁcations: As a district court judge for a decade, I have

presided over all types of cases heard by the Supreme Court:

civil, family and administrative appeals. I am a guest lecturer

for ethics, a member of the Public Law Council and an advocate

for legal aid.

Judicial Selection: e State should help voters by sending an information

packet to each voter and providing that information at polling locations. e

packet should contain background information, qualications, and a statement

of judicial philosophy for each candidate. at information would assist voters to

make an informed selection and would reduce campaign costs for candidates.

Standards: Texas should increase public membership and participation on

the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda, which recommends pro-

posed changes in legal ethics rules in Texas. Currently, under Texas Gov’t Code

» Mark Ash (L)

Qualiﬁcations: I have mostly practiced criminal defense law

for the last 27 years. Also, I have represented individuals in

civilmatters including divorce, property rights and personal

injury.

Judicial Selection: Elections for judges should not be based

on political party aliation. At a minimum, judges should be in good standing

with the state bar and have actively practiced law in Texas for a minimum time

stronger and more creative. A great example is the South Texas program for stu-

dents to enact mock trials in a real courtroom, playing dierent roles.

Biases: Training Texas judges on issues of race and fairness has been required

for many years. Implicit bias training is conducted annually for new judges and

by the Texas Center for the Judiciary in many other courses and conferences. e

Supreme Court’s “Beyond the Bench Summit” featured implicit bias training. e

Judicial Council that I chair is preparing other training.

Other Issues: e Court’s work is completely current and has been since I’ve

been Chief Justice. Its challenges are to continue to guide Texas courts through

the pandemic and equip them with all they need to function. In these tight eco-

nomic times, the Court must help ensure adequate funding for courts, and also

for legal aid for the poor, to ensure equal access to justice for all.

Campaign Website: http://justicenathanhecht.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hechtyes

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathanLHecht

§ 81.0872, just 2 of 9 members are public members. Also, members of the public

who le grievances should be allowed to participate in some parts of the process.

Biases: We need to require every judge and lawyer in the state to take implicit

bias training. is is simple and achievable. When I am elected Chief Justice this

fall, we will make this part of the Texas justice system’s mission on Day 1. We

need to add a pledge of “Equal Justice under the Law” to the lawyer’s and judge’s

oaths. It is past time to create a more fair system.

Other Issues: All Texans should have access to essential legal services. Access

to justice is a top priority of mine, and one of the cornerstones of a fair and just

society, especially during COVID. e current Court is considering a $1.2 million

cut to legal aid, but rising evictions, layos and domestic violence cases are creat-

ing a more urgent need for legal services—not less.

Campaign Website: http://amymeachum.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/JudgeAmyforChiefJustice/

period of 5 or 10 years. Also, term limits for judges should be seriously considered

limiting judges to no more than 2 or 3 terms per court.

Standards: e public needs access to more data from the state bar. e pub-

lic needs to know how many clients the lawyer has represented in the criminal

or civil courts. Many times, clients are not aware of the limited experience a civil

lawyer may have in criminal court and a criminal lawyer may have in civil court.

Also, malpractice insurance information needs to be disclosed.

Biases: Judges should be required to attend a minimum number of hours of

continuing legal education. Information about the courses/classes that the judges

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

Judicial Selection: Texas is one of the few states that elects judges in parti-

san elections. What changes, if any, in the judicial selection process would you

recommend?

Standards: What changes, if any, do you think are necessary to improve public

condence in the legal profession?

Biases: What training and practices do you recommend for trial judges to guard

against implicit biases?

Other Issues: What other issues do you believe will be the most pressing for

the Texas Supreme Court?

CHIEF JUSTICE,

TEXAS SUPREME

COURT

Six-year term. A member of the court that hears only civil cases. The Supreme Court

issues ﬁnal decisions on civil and juvenile appeals, issues writs of mandamus/

habeas corpus, and has jurisdiction over orders or judgments of trial courts if

the Supreme Court determines them important to the jurisprudence of the state.

Basesalary: $170,500

» What does the Texas Supreme Court do? https://youtu.be/nv6Mu5-QsO8

CHIEF JUSTICE, TEXAS SUPREME COURT

(continued)

» Mark Ash (L) (continued)

attended need to be available online for the public to view. Also, user friendly

access to campaign contributor information needs to be made available to the

public.

Other Issues: e Texas Supreme court should continue to make more and

more user friendly legal forms available online for simpler legal matters such as

for family, probate and real estate. Links should be provided to trusted websites

that give up-to-date information for pro se litigants.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markashfortexassupremecourt/

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

Judicial Selection: Texas is one of the few states that elects judges in parti-

san elections. What changes, if any, in the judicial selection process would you

recommend?

Standards: What changes, if any, do you think are necessary to improve public

condence in the legal profession?

Biases: What training and practices do you recommend for trial judges to guard

against implicit biases?

Other Issues: What other issues do you believe will be the most pressing for

the Texas Supreme Court?

JUSTICE, TEXAS

SUPREME COURT

Six-year term. A member of the court that hears only civil cases. The Supreme

Court issues ﬁnal decisions on civil and juvenile appeals, issues writs of manda-

mus/habeas corpus, and has jurisdiction over orders or judgments of trial courts if

the Supreme Court determines them important to the jurisprudence of the state.

Basesalary: $168,000

» What does the Texas Supreme Court do? https://youtu.be/nv6Mu5-QsO8

» JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PLACE 6

» Jane Bland (R)

Qualiﬁcations: I have served more than 20 years at three lev-

els of the state judiciary: as a trial judge, as a justice on the

court of appeals, and now on the Supreme Court of Texas. I am

board certied in civil trial law and civil appellate law.

Judicial Selection: No change in judicial selection can hap-

pen without the support of the voters and their elected representatives. Governor

Abbott and the Texas Legislature have formed a bi-partisan commission charged

with making recommendations about judicial selection. I look forward to these

recommendations, and I support this process.

Standards: We can improve public condence by respecting and valuing all

people who encounter our courts, reducing the cost of resolving disputes through

» Kathy Cheng (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I have almost twenty years of legal experience

in areas including complex commercial issues, divorce and pro-

bate, tax and real estate cases. I have also served as adjudication

ocer for the City of Houston for about six years.

Judicial Selection: e beauty of democracy is that citizens

can vote for individuals who they believe reect their values, which in the State of

Texas includes the election of judges. If that choice turns out to be a bad choice,

being able to vote elected ocials out of oce is a mechanism to hold said o-

cials accountable. As such, I see no need for change at the present time.

Standards: As time evolves, the means of disseminating the rules and stan-

dards for the legal profession shall also evolve. With the ease of digital accessibil-

ity, there should be more educational information available to the general public

innovation and technology, educating lawyers about best practices, and serving

needs of those who cannot aord a lawyer. I have done that work through leader-

ship positions in the bar and as a community volunteer.

Biases: I recommend that trial judges cultivate standards of excellence by incor-

porating the best practices of others from all walks of life and foster understand-

ing even in disagreement or when faced with terrible circumstances. e Texas

Center for the Judiciary oers excellent courses for judges on understanding im-

plicit bias and improving decision-making.

Other Issues: e Court will continue to work toward advancing justice and

the rule of law during the pandemic.

Campaign Website: http://www.justicejanebland.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judgejanebland/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/courthouse_mom

by digital means of the rules and standards governing said profession so that the

general population are better informed as to their rights.

Biases: Raising awareness of the existence of implicit bias through regular

meeting discussion can debias the years of exposure to cultural stereotypes, nar-

ratives and/or systemic policies. In addition, implement a mandatory annual im-

plicit bias training for judges and sta members.

Other Issues: With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to refrain from

hearing challenges of partisan gerrymandering, partisan gerrymandering cases

will now go before the Texas Supreme Court, which is an example of how this

Court impacts its citizens even though the citizens themselves may never go be-

fore this Court.

Campaign Website: http://www.chengforjustice.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chengforjustice/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chengforjustice

» Staci Williams (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I am in my second term as Judge of the 101st

District Court. e 101st District Court handles primarily com-

mercial, personal injury, medical malpractice, oil and gas, and

consumer issues. I have over 27 years of legal experience.

Judicial Selection: Texans have elected judges in partisan

elections for more than 100 years. While I believe that this Texas tradition should

not be disturbed, a Commission has been established to study options to select-

ing judges in urban areas by methods other than partisan elections. Recommen-

dations will be made at the end of the year. I look forward to reviewing these

alternatives.

Standards: e legal profession needs to get more involved in the commu-

nity. My judicial outreach program, the Citizens’ Civil Academy (“CCA”), was

launched to educate citizens about the civil court system. e CCA explores the

Biases: e Texas Center for the Judiciary provides all new Texas judges with

training on recognizing and responding to implicit biases. As part of our ongoing

commitment to assure that equal justice under law is a reality for all, the Center

also oers continuing education on unconscious processes that aect decisions

and best practices for increasing sound decision-making.

Other Issues: As the Court’s liaison for access to justice, I champion reforms

that help Texans of limited means—including veterans, domestic violence vic-

tims, families, and the elderly—get the basic civil legal services they need. Exam-

ple: online hearings can signicantly increase access and reduce cost, so we are

planning how to use them most eectively even aer the pandemic.

Campaign Website: http://www.BrettBusby.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justicebrettbusby/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrettBusby

» William Bryan Strange, III (L) Candidate has not yet responded.

Qualiﬁcations: Based on my experience as a board-certied

appellate lawyer and my record as a fair court of appeals judge,

I earned the support of all Democrats and Republicans when

the Texas Senate voted unanimously to approve my appoint-

ment to the Supreme Court.

Judicial Selection: Our process should select experienced judges who will de-

liver justice: giving everyone the fair day in court they deserve and ruling impar-

tially based on the law, never imposing their personal or political views to reach a

desired result. I support the work of the Texas Commission on Judicial Selection,

which the Legislature created to report on selection options in 2021.

Standards: Important conversations are taking place across Texas about equal-

ity and justice under the law. e Supreme Court’s “Beyond the Bench: Law, Jus-

tice, and Communities Summit” developed a toolkit to foster dialogue on real so-

lutions that will enhance public trust in our justice system. I encourage lawyers,

judges, and local leaders to use this kit in their communities.

» JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PLACE 7

» Jeff Boyd (R)

Qualiﬁcations: My extensive and varied legal career—in-

cluding 16 years in private practice, 3 years as the deputy attor-

ney general in charge of civil litigation involving the state, and

2 years serving as general counsel and chief of sta for the gov-

ernor’s oce

Judicial Selection: Electing judges creates issues that undermine the public’s

condence in the system, but it also requires judges and judicial candidates to in-

teract with the public. is gives the public the opportunity learn who will best

serve to counteract those problems. If we were building the process from scratch,

leave it to the public to decide to alter the system.

Standards: We must continue to make the system more accessible by reducing

the costs and delays required to resolve common civil disputes. We must do more

to promote the legal profession as a means for public service instead of private

prot. And we must continue to promote transparency into the operations and

activities of our courts and judges.

types of cases heard in the civil courts and what happens to a case from the time

the case is led until it is disposed. ere have been over 350 graduates.

Biases: I believe they should attend training sessions and evaluate on a monthly

basis what practices or procedures can be modied to reduce implicit bias. Every

day, the judge should ask him/herself, “would I have treated this litigant dier-

ently if he had been a member of my own race?”

Other Issues: e Texas Supreme Court will be faced with what to do about

the bar examination. Many states have an apprentice licensing program. We

must consider how the Court will ensure safe testing locations and procedures

or if theSupreme Court will allow the 2020 graduates to practice without an

examination.

Campaign Website: http://judgestaci.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudgeStaci/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudgeStaci

» JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PLACE 8

» Brett Busby (R)

Biases: Programs like the “Beyond the Bench” conference the Court sponsored

in 2016 can be eective for that purpose. Requiring judges’ participation in such

well-designed, high-quality programs as part of their annual continuing-educa-

tion requirements would be a meaningful step in the right direction.

Other Issues: (1) Ongoing implementation of evolving technology to increase

eciency within the judicial system. (2) Maintaining timely decision- making

processes through changes in the Court’s make-up over time. (3) Ensuring

continued operations throughout the judicial system in times of natural

disasters.

Campaign Website: http://justicejeoyd.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JusticeBoydTX

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeBoydTX

JUSTICE, TEXAS SUPREME COURT

(continued)

» JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT, PLACE 8

» Gisela D. Triana (D)

Qualiﬁcations: For over 24 yrs, I have served as a judge in

Texas: Municipal Ct, JP, County Ct, District Ct, Appellate Ct. I

will be the rst person on the TXSCT to have served on every

lower level court. Most of my 32-yr legal career has been in public service.

Judicial Selection: is is a legitimate discussion if there was a non-

partisanway to select judges that Texans could trust. e issue is the tim-

ing: aerthe party that has been in power and beneted from partisan elec-

tion of judges for decades begins to lose that power. It makes the concern seem

self- interested. Texans have clearly shown a preference for electing judges, I

supportthat.

Standards: I believe that in today’s racially and politically charged climate, law-

yers and judges should be at the forefront and lead by example by requiring man-

datory implicit bias training for all members of the Bar. We all have implicit bias

and some even explicit bias. We need to learn how to identify it and work dili-

gently to overcome it. I try to do this on a daily basis.

Biases: ere are several continuing legal education courses that deal with the

psychology behind our unconscious bias, how to identify it, and how best to com-

bat it. Such courses should be compulsory for all Bar members. Project Implicit

has several online tests that can be startling, yet should also be required for all

judges. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Other Issues: Restoring balance to the Court. Currently, all members are Re-

publican. 7 of the 9 were originally political appointments by a Republican Gov-

ernor. Our founders were wise to create a jury system that brought people from

dierent walks of life, with dierent experiences to judge a case. We need diver-

sity of thought on the Court, as well. It makes for better jurisprudence.

Campaign Website: http://www.JudgeTriana.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudgeTriana

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JusticeTriana

JUSTICE, TEXAS SUPREME COURT

(continued)

VOTING FOR JUDGES IN TEXAS

In some states, judges are chosen by the government. In Texas, judges are chosen

by people like you.

Judges make decisions that aect everyone, ranging from someone going to

jail, issuing warrants, getting evicted, and owing someone money, to perform-

ing marriage ceremonies and deciding whether a couple can adopt a child. Be-

cause of the power they hold, all persons elected as judges should know the law

and treat people fairly.

To be fair and independent, judges avoid inuence from politics and money.

ey cannot make promises about their decision in a case before they hear and

see the evidence.

Because of this, the questions posed to judges in this guide are limited to how

they would make the courts better, the need for impartiality in their roles, and

how they would make sure the system works for everyone.

What should voters look for when electing judges?

According to the American Bar Association, principles to consider in choosing

judges include:

• Judges should uphold the rule of law.

• Judges should be independent and impartial.

• Judges should possess the appropriate temperament and character.

• Judges should possess the appropriate capabilities and credentials.

• Judges and the judiciary should have the condence of the public.

• e judicial system should be diverse and reective of the community it serves.

• Judges should perform their duties in a manner that assures public faith and

condence in the court.

How is the Texas court system organized?

e Texas court system is made up of a statewide network of trial courts and ap-

pellate courts. Most cases begin in a trial court. In a trial court, judges listen to

witnesses, review evidence, hear arguments from lawyers, and give a decision on

the case, or a verdict.

ere are many types of trial courts. Some only handle criminal cases, rang-

ing from parking tickets to murder. Others only handle civil cases, ranging

from disputes between neighbors to multi-million dollar lawsuits. And some

handleboth.

If one of the parties disagrees with the trial court’s decision, they can appeal

the decision to an appellate court. Texas has fourteen Courts of Appeals distrib-

uted throughout the state.

en, if a party still disagrees, the next appeal would be to:

• e Court of Criminal Appeals (criminal cases only) or

• e Supreme Court of Texas (civil and juvenile cases).

Appellate courts do not try cases, have juries, or hear witnesses. ey review

what the lower courts did and decide if the lower courts were correct.

An excellent chart of the Texas Court Structure is available at:

txcourts.gov/media/1448645/court-structure-chart-january-2020.pdf

To learn more, visit txcourts.gov/about-texas-courts

» Tom Oxford (L)

Qualiﬁcations: With almost four decades of legal experience

I will bring a broad range of knowledge to the bench. I have had

the pleasure of successfully representing Texans before both the

Texas Supreme Court and the Unites States Court of Appeals.

Judicial Selection: e problem is not the partisan nature of

the elections. e problem is the massive amount of money given to these candi-

dates by the very rms that will be appearing before them. If a rm wants to give

funds to a candidate that is their right. However when that rm appears before

that same Judge appropriate conict of issue standards should be applied.

Standards: An open system that treats all parties with an even hand, regard-

less of race or socio-economic status would be a good start. Too oen a litigant’s

chances depend more on who their lawyer is and what connections they have

with the judge than on the actual facts of the dispute. An honest recognition of

that fact by our profession would be a good start.

Biases: I am not sure how to answer this question. You cannot train bias out

of someone, it is part of human nature. We all favor our family over our neigh-

bors, our neighbors over our community and our community over the commu-

nity down the road. We must recognize our bias and constantly guard against it.

A dicult task indeed!

Other Issues: Historically Judges decided the law and juries decided the facts.

We have gotten away from that respect for the Jury System in Texas. Too oen,

when there are honest factual disputes, Judges will overrule the jury and substi-

tute their own opinions for the Jury’s. is tension will continue to be a pressing

issue.

» Elizabeth Davis Frizell (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I have 27 years of trial experience and 13 years

as a private practitioner. I have 20 years of experience as a Judge

where I was elected as a Dallas County Criminal Court Judge

and Dallas Criminal District Court Judge.

Mental Health: e Court of Criminal Appeals should ensure

that trial courts examine mentally ill defendants for their capacity to know the

dierence between right and wrong as well as whether a mental illness aected

their judgment and was properly asserted and applied for sentencing purposes.

Access to Justice: e State Bar should require internships similar to intern-

ships in the medical eld where newly licensed attorneys work for non-prot or-

ganizations, government agencies, and rms doing trial work and appellate work

for at least one year prior to becoming licensed. is will give non-prot and pro

bono agencies more attorneys to handle an increased caseload.

Other Issues: Disparate sentencing, wrongful convictions, and death penalty

cases.

Campaign Website: http://www.Frizell4Judge.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frizell4txjudge

JUDGE, TEXAS COURT

OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

Six-year term. A member of the court with ﬁnal judgment in all crimi-

nal cases. The court must review all cases in which the death penalty

is assessed. It also exercises discretionary review in other criminal

cases and issues writs of habeas corpus. Base salary: $168,000

» What does the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals do?

https://youtu.be/ilOwfEy4adk

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience, and background qualify you for this

position?

Mental Health: How should the Court of Criminal Appeals address mental

health issues of those who come before the court?

Access to Justice: What opportunities are there, if any, to improve the state’s

indigent defense system in criminal cases?

Other Issues: What other issues do you believe will be most pressing for the

Court of Criminal Appeals?

» JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PLACE 3

» Bert Richardson (R)

Qualiﬁcations: I am the incumbent in this race and have

been a State judge for over 20 years. I am a former State and

Federal prosecutor that is Board Certied in Criminal Law. I

have participated in hundreds of appeals, writs and over 50cap-

ital cases.

Mental Health: Mental health issues are litigated at the trial level. As an ap-

pellate judge, in cases with mental health issues, I write legal opinions that de-

termine whether a trial court properly admitted, or excluded mental health ev-

idence. If evidence of mental health is improperly excluded, the Court has the

authority to grant a new trial.

Access to Justice: ere are opportunities to improve the system, but that re-

quires additional funding and that assistance has to come from the legislature

and individual counties, not the courts. In order to attract qualied lawyers to

represent indigent defendants, the State will have to compensate those lawyers, or

create more public defender oces.

Other Issues: In light of the current COVID crisis, one of the most pressing is-

sues will involve getting the courts across the State back to work. I anticipate sev-

eral legal challenges will follow the “new normal” including speedy trial claims,

jury selection issues, witness testimonies and jury deliberations that result in fair

verdicts.

Campaign Website: http://www.electjudgerichardson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudgeBertRichardson/

JUDGE, TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

(cont.)

» Tina Clinton (D)

Qualiﬁcations: I am the presiding district court judge of the

oldest Criminal District Court in Texas. I have 14 years expe-

rience as a trial court judge over a felony district, county crim-

inal and municipal courts. I have tried over 400 trials in my

career.

Mental Health: e CCA is an appellate court so issues of mental health raised

on appeal are the issues that may be addressed. e CCA also funds education

programs and grants for judges, lawyers and prosecutors. Expanding the funding

for additional education on mental health in criminal cases would make a vast

dierence in the entire criminal justice system.

Access to Justice: First, review cases of ineective assistance of counsel

» Brandon Birmingham (D)

Qualiﬁcations: Two-term Felony Trial Court Judge, former

Presiding Judge-all Felony District Courts, Dallas. Lead coun-

sel on over 100 jury trials from DWI to Capital Murder. 2 spe-

cialty court dockets, visiting professor at SMU Law School.

Mental Health: My experience has taught me how important

properly addressing mental health issues are to reducing recidivism. e CCA

should help increase training for lawyers on these issues, and where appropriate,

work to increase funding for courts across Texas for worthwhile mental health

programs.

Access to Justice: Justice shouldn’t depend upon a person’s access to

resources- lessons we’ve learned from the Dallas County exonerations. We must

closely. One can be ineective not merely by not doing something they should

have done but also for the lack of time they have based on carrying too heavy of

a case load, based on ABA standards. Second, indigent defense attorneys must be

given adequate resources for investigators, experts and other tools.

Other Issues: (1) To help answer and educate members of the legislature on

where bail reform is currently in Texas. (2) Review stang needs for additional

lawyers on writs that come into the CCA. (3) To consider using diering plat-

forms to increase transparency to the public. (4) Diversify internships to give ac-

cess to law students that have not traditionally been given access.

Campaign Website: http://facebook.com/JudgeTinaClinton

Facebook: https://facebook.com/JudgeTinaClinton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudgeTClinton

increase funding through the legislature to help counties pay for reasonable

and necessary costs of providing indigent defense. Second, we have to establish

state-wide best practices to dene and manage the case loads of indigent defense

counsel.

Other Issues: From allowing a verdict to stand while a lawyer slept in court, to

letting politics impact decisions, or reversals by the United States Supreme Court

in death penalty cases, rulings from the CCA have contributed to the public’s

skepticism of our criminal courts, and illustrate very clearly the need for change.

If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

Campaign Website: http://JudgeBirmingham.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudgeBirmingham/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudgeBirmingham

» JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PLACE 9

» David Newell (R)

Qualiﬁcations: I serve you as a Judge on the Court of Crim-

inal Appeals. I have over two decades of experience han-

dlingand deciding criminal appeals as either a lawyer or a

judge. Iam board certied in both criminal and criminal ap-

pellate law.

Mental Health: It can adopt dynamic standards to allow non-dangerous citi-

zens suering from mental illness who commit a crime to easily transfer out of

the criminal justice system from a jail bed to a hospital bed so they can get the

help they deserve. Violent oenders should also be treated for their illnesses, but

in a secure facility for the safety of the community.

Access to Justice: Creation of more regional public defender’s oces could

help ensure a standard level of competent representation. Additionally, the Court

of Criminal Appeals could pro-actively set out minimum standards for represen-

tation of indigent defendants in serious cases

Other Issues: Mental health issues, mentioned above, are obviously pressing.

Wrongful convictions based upon junk science or police misconduct are also very

serious. Additionally, reforming bail practices so that the indigent are not incar-

cerated for extended periods of time prior to conviction unless there is a ight or

safety risk is another signicant to address.

Campaign Website: http://keepjudgenewell.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/judgedavidnewell/

» JUDGE, COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS, PLACE 4

» Kevin Patrick Yeary (R)

Qualiﬁcations: *Law Clerk- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

1yr (1992-1992) *Private Lawyer- Criminal/Civil Defense 3yrs

(1992-1995) *Appellate Prosecutor- Dallas, Houston, San Anto-

nio 19yrs (1995-2014) *Judge- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

5+yrs (2015-Present)

Mental Health: e Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, along with the Texas

Supreme Court, recently established the Texas Judicial Commission on Men-

tal Health “to engage and empower court systems through collaboration, ed-

ucation, and leadership, and to thereby improve the lives of individuals with

mentalhealthneeds and persons with intellectual and developmental disabili-

ties(IDD).”

Access to Justice: e Texas Indigent Defense Commission “provides nan-

cial and technical support to counties to develop and maintain quality, cost-

eective indigent defense systems that meet the needs of local communities and

the requirements of the Constitution and state law.”

Other Issues: e Court must follow the rule of law and ensure that the written

law provides the even playing eld that all citizens should expect from our judi-

cial system. Judges must not be policy makers, but should instead decide disputes

between parties to litigation, guided by reference to the constitution and laws,

which are written by others.

Campaign Website: http://www.judgeyeary.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudgeKevinPatrickYeary

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudgeYeary

STATE BOARD

OF EDUCATION

Four-year term. The ﬁfteen-member board decides curriculum, standards, student testing,

special education programs, and textbooks for Texas public schools. It also oversees the

Permanent School Fund. Members of the board do not receive pay, but are eligible for

reimbursement for expenses incurred in the course of ofﬁcial business.

» What does the State Board of Education do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XZK4qoFFlU&feature=youtu.be

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

Curriculum: What is your philosophy for setting curriculum standards?

Civic Education: What changes, if any, do you recommend to prepare students

for their civic responsibilities?

Charter Schools: What is your position on charter schools in the public educa-

tion system?

Other Issues: What other issues do you believe will be the most pressing for

the State Board of Education?

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 5

Lani Popp (R)

Qualiﬁcations: I have spent my life serving Texas students,

including working 17 years in public schools (four in inner city

schools) and 11 years in private school. I am a passionate cham-

pion for children with autism, with expertise in Autism Spec-

trum Disorder.

Curriculum: I believe curriculum standards should be historically and scientif-

ically accurate and age appropriate. We need to foster critical thinking skills so

students are able to actively debate and question instead of being passive recipi-

ents of information. We need to discontinue requiring a single process for math

calculations and allow students to use a variety of processes.

Civic Education: I believe students should have civics in their junior year in

high school. us if they are 18 in the fall of their senior year, they will have an

adequate understanding of our constitutions and the freedoms, rights, and re-

sponsibilities therein. I believe students should have to demonstrate competence

in this area by answering questions from our citizenship test.

Charter Schools: Having worked in an inner-city school district, I can see the

benet of charter schools for students who are more socio-economically disad-

vantaged. We need to make sure we are properly vetting charter schools, holding

them to the same standards as other public schools. We also need to safeguard

parent choice and must always promote the academic success of the student.

Other Issues: We need to reform our broken state standardized testing sys-

tem. Many students with disabilities (high functioning autism, ADHD, students

with anxiety, etc.) may be brilliant but not demonstrate that on a test. We need to

make sure we are testing basic skills, but we need to look at more than just a test

when judging a student’s knowledge, abilities, or progress.

Campaign Website: http://Lanipopp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votelanipopp/

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

(continued)

» STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 5 (CONT)

» Rebecca Bell-Metereau (D)

Qualiﬁcations: PhD. Prof TxSt U, Directs Media Minor; Fac-

ulty Senate, was Special Asst. TxSt Pres, Fulbright Scholar,

Teaching Awards, 4 books/30 essays, Peace Corps teacher/in-

terpreter Air Force ights Chad, San Marcos P&Z, Bonds Recy-

cling Commissions, HOA board.

Curriculum: Restore respect for teachers, public schools. Teach data-based sci-

ence, technology, literature, art, music, history, vocations, civics, nancial, sta-

tistical literacy, sex ed, SpEd, critical thinking. Show leadership, stop costly high-

stakes testing, ideological inuence on education; listen to students, teachers,

parents; nd common ground, equity, voice for diversity

Civic Education: Teach history of voting rights, governmental branches, vari-

ety of governments, include democracies, etc. variation among counties, states,

nations, worldwide, and basic principles of voting, jury duty. Note U.S. ranks

26th in eligible voter participation at 56% in 2016. Use mock debates and voting

to develop civil discourse and constructive engagement/register all over-18

Charter Schools: SBOE must use better judgment. I saw SBOE approve a pro-

posal for a charter in a strip mall alongside toxic businesses; luckily Abbott nixed

it. Some charters, like Ann Richards school, are great models, admitting by lot-

tery; some charters don’t admit all students, siphon tax dollars from public

schools, & aren’t made to operate by same equitable standards as public schools

Other Issues: Science 2021 must teach scientic method, experimental tech-

niques, peer review, biology and climate science, global warming, pandemics, bi-

ology and geology of evolution and latest in DNA research, inuence of culture,

politics and economics on scientic advancement, with engaging curriculum that

oers hands-on experimental design, service learning, relevance of issues.

Campaign Website: http://voterebecca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voterebecca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/voterebecca

Stephanie Berlin (L) Candidate has not yet responded.

TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DISTRICT 73

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

1: What state issue do you consider the most important, and how would you ad-

dress it??

2: What state legislation, if any, is needed to increase the availability of aordable

healthcare for Texas residents? Would you support Texas expanding Medicaid?

3: What issues do you believe will be most pressing in the next session of the

Texas legislature, and what are your positions on these issues?

» Stephanie Phillips (D)

Qualiﬁcations: Teacher with 25 years experience in group

and individual instruction and workshop facilitation. Cre-

ative arts education consultant for K-12, college and adult

learners. Extensive experience working in Title 1 schools.

Plays well with others.

1: Te State Representative should stay focused on issues that directly impact

constituents in HD73 and that are under the jurisdiction of the State govern-

ment. HD73 is experiencing massive population growth esp. in unincorporated

areas. We need a Rep. who understands that they have the power to take leader-

ship on legislation to grant greater county authority to plan land use, conserve

open space, implement common sense environmental regulations to protect our

air and water, work with neighboring counties on a development plan and protect

property owners from destructive industrial expansion.

2: Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the U.S. and the

worst access to health care. Millions more Texans have lost their employer-pro-

vided health coverage as a result of the economic downturn created by the Co-

vid-19 pandemic. We are one of only 12 states that has not yet moved to expand

Medicaid. Medicaid expansion would help boost our struggling state economy,

help rural hospitals stay open, create jobs, and take pressure o of property taxes.

States that have expanded Medicaid have seen better overall health outcomes,

more nancial security, and less medical debt.

3: Budget: 2021 will be a tight budget cycle as we deal with the severe economic

losses from the pandemic. In order to keep schools and our state budget fully

funded we need to diversify our state income stream by expanding Medicaid,

closing the corporate tax loophole, and legalizing and taxing marijuana.

» Kyle Biedermann (R)

Candidate has not yet responded.

COMAL COUNTY COMMISSIONER

PRECINCT 1

Administrative head of county

government

» Lindsay Poisel (D)

1: One important issue that I believe the Commissioner’s Court

needs to address is the boat ramps. e county saw a huge in-

crease in tourists this year which led to many boat ramp is-

sues. ere needs to be boat ramps for the locals to use and boat

ramps for tourists. One of the biggest complaints I heard this

summer was that locals could not enjoy the lake. is needs to

be addressed.

2: Comal County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country we need

to give the public a voice in they types of businesses they would like to see in

the county. In the unincorporated areas, we seem to have a lot of Dollar Stores

» Ivan Foster (L) Candidate has not yet responded.

and storage units around the lake and not very many restaurants or shopping

ares. ese types of businesses would increase county revenues and appeal to the

tourists.

3:One of the biggest transportation issues facing Comal County are the road con-

ditions in the unincorporated areas. While there has been some road work over

the last 12 months, there is still plenty of roadways that needs to be repaired. If

elected, I would like to send crews out to survey roadways and determine which

roads are in need of immediate repair. Once it has been determined which roads

are in need of repair, I would like to incorporate those repairs into the county

budget.

» Donna Eccleston (R)

1: Our issues are intertwined and spurred by our rapid growth.

We have a duty to public safety where we are adding infrastruc-

ture and equipment. We received two new courts from the leg-

islature and are working to increase courtrooms and capacity

- all part of our strategic facilities plan. We are doing what we

can with the tools available to us to expand services to accommodate our grow-

ing population. Every family should have the safety and security to ourish in all

areas. Being scally responsible while addressing our constitutional obligations

is important to both families and businesses

2: We are limited statutorily but we will continue to use the tools we have to best

eect. Our subdivision regulations will continue to be equally applied. Focus

on our strategic plan for facilities and acquisition of land for future oces/ser-

vices. Continue our collaborations with other entities which have led to success-

ful projects in a timely and eective manner in diverse areas of service. While we

are growing so quickly it is important to foster conservation opportunities with

landowners and agencies to include easements, bequeathals and grants. Comal

County is home to all of us.

3: We will keep looking ahead and leveraging our partnerships for highways and

expanded capacity. e Hwy 46 and Hwy 281 expansions, FM 306 yovers and

the Loop 337 projects are all examples of successful collaboration. It is important

to get the increased capacity now when we need it rather than in the future. We

are urbanized and rural. Half the population is in the unincorporated areas so

opportunities for mass transit are limited to supporting urban populations at this

time. On County roads we will continue to nd the most eective means to ad-

dress issues of safety, quality and cost.

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

1: What is one important issue that Commissioners’ Court needs to address in

Comal county, and what would you propose to address it?

2: Because the Texas legislature has not given counties ordinance making power

(i.e. zoning authority), how do you plan to address growth issues in the unincor-

porated areas of Comal County?

3: What are the transportation issues in Comal County and how do you plan to

address them?

JUDGE, COURT

OF APPEALS

Six-year term. Hears appeals on civil and criminal cases from lower courts in its district.

Base salary for Chief Judge: $156,500. Base salary for Judge: $154,000.

The 3rd Court of Appeals: Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Coke, Comal, Concho, Fayette, Hays, Irion, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, McCulloch, Milam, Mills,

Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Sterling, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson

» Jeff Rose (R)

» Darlene Byrne (D)

COMAL COUNTY COMMISSIONER

PRECINCT 3

Administrative head of county

government

» Colette Nies (D)

Qualiﬁcations: Doctoral Candidate in Land, Food, Ethics,

and Faith Formation; Master of Science of Social Work in Com-

munity Leadership (UT Austin); Grad Portfolio in Non-Prot

Mgmt (UT Austin); Master of Divinity in Ecological eol-

ogy and Care of the Dying (APTS); Policy analysis of systemic

causes of poverty, food insecurity, etc. and how to solve ineq-

uities; Business owner/gov’t relations exp in strategic partnerships, land negotia-

tion, permitting, and conservation practices in sustainability and economics.

1: e protection of the future of our children and grandchildren is paramount.

e grim reality of our 20% food insecurity epidemic of children under 18, the 1

in 7 asthma rate (twice the national average), and having only 1/10th the amount

of parks/green spaces we should, all tell us we need to focus on our legacy. Estab-

lishing a Food Policy Council, installing PM 2.5 air quality monitors to obtain

data to protect our health, and assertively establishing green spaces to ensure the

beauty and economic viability of the Hill Country are solid actions to care for fu-

ture generations.

2: TX Lege has given some counties ordinance making power in Code Chap 231.

is is a way to pursue the protection of the ecologically sensitive EARZ to en-

sure our future drinking water supply and water quantity that our health and

tourism economy depends. Habitat Conservation Plans in conjunction with Miti-

gation Plans would require developers to purchase habitat land. Comal must stop

selling our mitigation credits and close OSSF loopholes. Other ways are through

conservation easements, enacting HB2833 to promote green infrastructure de-

signs, and establish conservation subdivision ordinances, etc

3: e County has no current plans with TxDOT to address congestion at IH35

and 46 for the next 20 years, and a solution needs to be presented on behalf of the

residents. Working with municipalities to establish reliable public transportation,

bicycle, and mobility accessibility will increase retail sales and property values,

while improving air quality and trac. I will work with ART and AAMPO on re-

gional congestion management objectives/strategies on resident safety, access,

and emergency services. And the County needs do an economic inventory of the

road destruction by aggregate trucks.

» Kevin Webb (R)

Qualiﬁcations: New Braunfels High School, 1986. Texas

A&M University, 2001, Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Parks,

and Tourism; I worked in tourism and then in insurance/secu-

rities with emphasis on retirement accounts since 2003. Since

joining commissioners court I’ve worked primarily on trans-

portation projects and county infrastructure

1: Public safety is a primary function of county government and the cornerstone

of our society. People must feel safe to raise their families here and invest in the

community. While keeping taxes low, we’ve strongly supported each level of our

justice system from our law enforcement ocers and prosecutors to our courts

and corrections. e legislature granted our requests for an additional County

Court and District Court, and our court renovations are going very well. Also,

the Comal County Jail is now complete with the renovation of the new Sherri’s

Oce beginning in January of 2021.

2: We strictly enforce our subdivision regulations to ensure responsible devel-

opment under the authorities we do have and have been exploring options to re-

tain open space in the county through partnerships with other agencies and pri-

vate landowners. We’ve undertaken a massive facility infrastructure program

to expand numerous county oces, procured land for future expansions and

needs, and have invested heavily in our transportation infrastructure to help mit-

igate and plan for that growth. While there are more of us, we’re working to keep

Comal County feeling like the place we all love.

3: Comal County needs more lanes on current roads, new connectors, roadway

maintenance, and transit in some urban areas. In my role as Chair Elect of the

Alamo Area MPO (where transportation funding is dispersed) we’ve been able

to bring regional partners and stakeholders together to get large added capacity

projects done from New Braunfels all the way to Spring Branch and throughout

the county. We’ve also supported the City of New Braunfels Transit Study which

lays out a way forward in making local transit available within the city. We’re

very engaged on these issues and will continue to be.

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: What training, experience and background qualify you for this

position?

1: What is one important issue that Commissioners’ Court needs to address in

Comal county, and what would you propose to address it?

2: Because the Texas legislature has not given counties ordinance making power

(i.e. zoning authority), how do you plan to address growth issues in the unincor-

porated areas of Comal County?

3: What are the transportation issues in Comal County and how do you plan to

address them?

NBISD DISTRICT 2

» Nancy York

Qualiﬁcations: I am running for the NBISD District 2

trustee as I feel my 40 yrs of teaching in our public schools

of Texas makes me a highly qualied candidate for the posi-

tion. I UNDERSTAND the process of public education and the

Texas Public Schools Accountability Rating System. As a re-

tired high school teacher and mathematics department chair, I recognize what

achievement skills a student needs when they graduate to be a productive citizen.

I will work to ensure that ALL our students have an equal opportunity to learn

and EVERY NBISD campus achieves a high state rating.

1: e NBISD has made safety a high priority on each of their campuses. In 2018,

the voter’s in New Braunfels passed a $118.3 million bond referendum of which

the district allocated $6.6 million to improve the security of each campus. Some

safety measures implemented include security cameras, exterior magnetic door

locks, front door ring system, and full time SRO’s (police ocers) at secondary

campuses. I want to ensure a program/system is established to keep parents and

faculty members informed during an emergency situation. I know rst-hand that

communication is critical during a lock down.

2: I want to ensure that ALL students in the NBISD are receiving an equal and

quality education. e state has a system that is used to evaluate and grade cam-

puses. District 2 had two elementary schools and a middle school that had declin-

ing scores the last time districts were graded (2018-19). One elementary campus

went from a B to a low D, the other went from a B to a C, and the middle school

lost 5 points. ese are the lowest scores in the NBISD. Student learning as out-

lined by the State objectives (TEKS) needs to be the goal on each campus. Our

District 2 students deserve better.

3: I will push to acquire state and federal funds and/or grants to help our eco-

nomically disadvantage and special needs students.ese students are oen the

most overlooked populations at our schools but have the highest needs. COVID

has caused added expenses to the budget.e need for every home to have inter-

net became an imperative district expense when remote learning was required

and PPE is now needed district wide. If elected, I will make grants and special

funds high priority items during the budget process. Frequent budget review and

forecasts are critical for prudent nancial decisions.

» Michael “Mike” Calta

Qualiﬁcations: Our oldest son, Gregory, is the intitial inspi-

ration for my service on a school board. I rst served on a dif-

ferent school board from 2004-2010. I was later elected in 2017

to serve on the NBISD School Board. Gregory passed away the

following month in June 2017. Gregory could not walk, talk or

see. But, as you can see by the photo, his gi to the world was his love, demon-

strated so well by his amazing smile. Every student has something amazing to of-

fer this world. Our job is to give “Every Student. Every Day!” that opportunity.

at’s why I seek to serve a 2nd term on the NBISD Board.

1: Since being elected in 2017, we added full time police ocers to our secondary

campuses & increased patrols of our elementary campuses. To every campus, we

added security lm to the windows, installed a card reader system for all doors,

installed bollards to protect students at drop o & pick up locations, added secu-

rity cameras, installed controlled access systems to the reception areas & more. If

re-elected, I hope to add full time ocers to our elementary campuses or a hybrid

school marshall/guardian program to make sure a critical threat can be neutral-

ized promptly.

2: Currently, we are managing through COVID-19. As hindsight shows, we were

right to oer parents the choice between remote learning & on campus learning

for each student.is is an opportunity to develop an expertise in remote learn-

ing. We need to collaborate more closely with Teachers, Students & Parents and

add necessary resources to create the most eective remote learning system pos-

sible. Related to COVID, we potentially face state budget cuts next year. Due to

careful budget management in the last 3 years, we have some savings to keep any

cuts as far away from the classroom as possible.

3: Possible Ideas:

* Use direct fundraising vs. selling products thru a 3rd party to maximize

revenues

* More aggressively seek grants that provide more funding than they cost to

administrate

* Expand partnerships with Business for the expansion of Career & Technology

classes & infrustructure

* Adopt-A Bus Program for at-risk students

* Early retirement incentives if savings can be incurred

* Use our developing remote learning expertise to create a remote learning acad-

emy for high school students best suited for remote learning

* Use “thoughtexchange” to crowdsource more ideas from stakeholders

» QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Qualiﬁcations: Why are you seeking this oce and what background do you

bring to this position?

1: What school safety measures are your highest priority?

2: What other critical issue will you address and how?

3: What strategies would you use to stretch the school district’s funding to main-

tain educational quality?

» John E. Tucker

Qualiﬁcations: Voters in District 4 deserve a choice. Single

member districts work only if the residents le.

I have worked in school facilities, contracting, and operations

Dallas, Flour Blu, and now Comal Independent School Dis-

tricts starting in 1995, with the majority of my work relat-

ing to construction management, procurement and services

for schools. I have attended hundreds of school board meetings over the past 25

years, and I understand the nancial and educational responsibilities local Texas

school districts have.

1: Keeping school and school grounds safe, preventing domestic issues from

spilling into the school, addressing student mental health, creating trust between

students and sta to allow for sharing of possible threats.

2: Halting the siphoning of local taxes to fund exclusionary schools using non-

certied teachers. Keep up with growth and have a ten year plan, even if only the

rst few of those years are funded.

3:Carefully watch facilities costs, recover actual costs of commercial use of build-

ings and facilities, lower health care expenses by careful procurement of insurers.

Teacher and sta morale can be easily damaged, and it is hard to restore, harm-

ing educational results.

» Matthew Sargent