By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-968735.mp3
Dallas, TX – Election turnout in Dallas and Fort Worth is expected to be light tomorrow even though both cities have close mayoral races. In addition election officials say voters may be a little confused about a few procedures as KERA's Shelley Kofler reports.
Election officials say they want to maximize turnout by minimizing confusion about voting locations and by clearing up misconceptions created by the voter ID debate in Austin.
Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippins Poole says her office is receiving calls from voters who want to know if they must show an approved photo ID at the polls. The answer for this Saturday is no.
Pippins Poole: That legislation doesn't take effect until 2012. So everything is as usual. Bring your voter registration card or your ID.
In addition Pippins Poole and Tarrant County Elections Administrator Steve Raborn both say some polling places have changed since the November election.
Raborn: We would encourage voters to know ahead of time where their polling place is on election day. In a May election the polling places aren't always the same as they were. Many times they're consolidated because there is a smaller turnout.
Raborn and Poole are predicting a turnout of some 10 to 12 percent of registered voters in Dallas and Fort Worth.
Early voting suggests more will turnout in Irving where Mayor Herb Gears is defending his seat in a nasty, contentious race and in Mesquite where voters will decide whether stores can sell beer and wine.
Tarrant County expects its greatest turnout in Southlake where voters will decide whether to allow package liquor stories in that city.