RUSK — At the half-way mark of early voting for the May 29 primary, 1,485 Cherokee County voters turned in their ballots at the polls.

Connie Quine, chief deputy of voter registrar for Cherokee County, said the turnout has been “pretty good.”

She said voting numbers are heavier in precincts 1 and 3 where the county commissioner seats are contested. But, she said she believes constable races, justices of the peace and the heated race for State House Rep. Chuck Hopson's seat have also contributed to the turnout. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches and Tony Sevilla, R-Alto are vying for the position.

Early voting will run through Friday at three locations, one in Rusk, Jacksonville and Alto. Any resident may vote at any of the locations no matter where they live, but on May 29, they must vote in their specific voting box, based on where they live.

“It just makes it a lot easier when you can go to one central place and it doesn't matter what your precinct is,” Quine said.

Voters may vote in the Republican or Democrat primary, but are not allowed by state law to vote in both.

“Some states do let you vote in both primaries, but in Texas that is the whole point of a primary is to pick the candidates that you want to represent you in the November election in that party,” she said.

The ballots also have the names of presidential candidates who have dropped out of the race. Officials said this is because the candidates did not file the necessary paperwork with the state political parties in time to have their name taken off the ballot. Quine said the county will still count the votes for those candidates.

Each ballot also has survey-type questions, which county election and party officials said are designed to poll local Democrat and Republicans on how they feel on certain issues.

“They are propositions representing the party positions,” Cherokee County Democrat Chair Caesar Roy said. “Whether they pass or fail, it does not mean they become law. That means the party is going to push those as part of their agenda.”