SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, Texas — By now, you likely know where your county's polling locations are (if not, no worries we have you covered. Just click here) or who the candidates are for your area races, but do you know who your county's party chairs are and what all they can help you with?
If you have questions about the upcoming election, your county's elections office is a great place to start, but if you have something specific pertaining to your political party, your county's party chair is another go-to.
For San Patricio County, those individuals are:
- Mike Carter, the Republican Party Chair
- Jennifer Hay, the Democratic Party Chair
Mike Carter - San Pat Republican Party Chair
Contact info. for the San Patricio County Republican Party:
- Email: mikecarter@reagan.com or sanpatgop@reagan.com
- Phone: 361-777-0002 or 210-241-1762
- Facebook: San Patricio County Republican Party
How did you become the Republican Party Chair?
Carter is based in Portland. His first time being elected was back in 2012 in which he served through 2018, and most recently was elected to serve again in March of this year.
"There are opportunities in your lifetime where you might make a difference and this was an opportunity so I said yeah I’ll do it," Carter said. "Everybody says this is the most important election of our lifetime and it probably is."
What do you want voters/fellow San Pat residents to know?
Beyond the presidential race, Carter is urging fellow republican residents to educate themselves about the state, county and local races as well, but if you're still needing to do your homework about those candidates (or if you're wanting a particular candidate sign), that's where he also can help.
"Senator Cornyn's race is very important, the Railroad Commissioner's race is very important, all the races are important," Carter said. "Our state has had the best economic growth of any state in the union, our county is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas."
If there are voters interested in potentially switching their political parties, can they reach out to you for help?
"Yes, I have in fact, quite a few calls like that," Carter said. "I've seen more enthusiasm around this election than I have ever seen and I've been engaged in seven different cycles."
Thoughts on the one drop-off ballot site per county order enacted by Gov. Abbott:
“It’s pretty imperative that line of possession is at one spot and there’s just less opportunities for fraud, and if you’re afraid to mail it because it won't get there, again having a drop-off point is fine."
Carter says keeping an open line of communication with San Patricio County elections office administrator, Pamela Hill, is extremely important, but as well as maintaining a positive relationship with the county's democratic party.
"Our elections administration has just done a super job in providing access to everybody to vote," Carter said. "We're very fortunate that our county, the democrats and republicans, we work together pretty easily. There's not any animosity. We work together."
Jennifer Hay - San Pat Democratic Party Chair
Contact info. for the San Patricio County Democratic Party:
- Email: sanpatdems@gmail.com
- Phone: 361-229-3179
- Facebook: San Patricio Cty Democratic Party
How did you become the Democratic Party Chair?
Hay has served as the democratic party chair for the county since July. She too is based in Portland, where she is a local bookstore owner and has resided since 1980, although taking 20 years to serve in the U.S. Navy. She had gone off and seen a lot of the world, but when she came back:
"[I] just was looking at what the political situation was in San Patricio and realized that myself and a few other people didn't really feel represented, so I decided to go for it and see what we could do," Hay said.
“San Patricio is a very diverse county, we’re pretty rural, but we do have some cosmopolitan areas, for instance Portland, and we have some conservative areas and some more progressive areas."
What do you want voters/fellow San Pat residents to know?
Democratic residents can reach out to Hay for candidate information, polling information, volunteer opportunities and signage as well.
"I have the information if somebody needs sample ballots or if they need information about a candidate, I can at least find that for them. I'm also a source of knowing they're not the only democrat around, sometimes they're a little bit isolated, so it's good to know there are more democrats in the area."
She also says beyond the presidential race, she wants to help educate voters on the state/county/local races as well.
“I do think that we have to start in the county if we want to - for the kind of country we want a little further up the ticket."
If there are voters interested in potentially switching their political parties, can they reach out to you for help?
Hay says yes, and she too has gotten calls about this this election year.
“People that have just come up to me and said I have been a Republican for a long time and I just can't do that this year. They are very torn about it, but based on the current situation, they don’t see any other resource. They feel they have to."
Thoughts on the one drop-off ballot site per county order enacted by Gov. Abbott:
"I think, as has been stated a lot of places, it’s pretty blatant voter suppression, but if that’s what he [governor] wants to do since it was throughout Texas, there you go. However, we have resources and because most of the people that are using mail-in ballots, they’re now a little – they have a little trepidation about actually putting them in the mail, they’re over 65 or they’re disabled, but in the grand scheme of things we have people who are willing to step up and help out in that direction."
According to Hay, she's had residents reach out to her to volunteer and offer to drive elderly voters or voters with disabilities to the polls, especially for those who live in more rural areas of the county.
Hay says maintaining constant communication with the county's elections office and staff has been essential in her first year in the new position.
Early voting runs from now through Oct.30th. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23. Election Day is November 3rd.
Click here to visit the San Patricio County Elections homepage.
Click here to access a Sample Ballot from the San Patricio County Elections Office.
Facebook: San Patricio County Elections Office
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