Statewide races are decided on the margins. The major metro areas—Austin, DFW, San Antonio, and Houston—deliver the bulk of the Democratic vote. Republicans rely on strong turnout from East Texas, West Texas, and other rural and suburban counties to offset that.
When our side doesn’t show up, we effectively hand the advantage to the metros. The decision belongs to the people who vote, not the people who are simply registered.
A Note for the More Engaged and a Message You Can Share with Others:
If you’re reading this note, you already care enough to follow Commissioners Court business and stay informed. You’ve likely already made your plan to vote or already voted. This next part is for your neighbor, friend, or family member who doesn’t engage the same way—and who may be frustrated by the constant campaign texts. Feel free to share it with them:
Once you cast your ballot, your name appears on the Daily Voting Rosters published by the Smith County Elections Office. This is public information. You can view the daily lists here:
https://www.smith-county.com/235/Daily-Voting-Rosters
Campaigns check these lists every day. When your name shows up, they remove you from their texting, and often mail, lists. They’re not being polite—they’re saving money. There’s no reason to keep paying to contact someone who has already voted.
Many people dislike the constant texts.
Here’s the practical reality:
Most voters no longer attend campaign rallies, town halls, or candidate events. Very few reach out by phone, email, website, or Facebook. Instead, a large share of people make their decisions based on TV, YouTube, and streaming ads. That leaves campaigns with limited ways to reach the sizable number of voters who stay on the sidelines.
So campaigns go to the voters instead of waiting for the voters to come to them. Text messages and mailers are the tools used to reach people who don’t otherwise engage. TV ads are expensive, but people still watch a lot of television and streaming content, so that remains part of the mix.
It hasn’t always worked this way. When more people showed up to events, asked questions directly, and stayed engaged between elections, campaigns didn’t have to spend as much money chasing the same voters with texts and mailers. Complacency changed the model. The more voters step back, the more campaigns have to spend to reach them.
If you’re tired of the texts, the fastest way to stop most of them is simple: go vote.Your name hits the public daily list, and most campaigns do take you off their active contact lists.
Early voting continues through Friday, October 30 from 7AM to 7PM.
Election Day is November 3.
If you’ve already voted—thank you. If you haven’t, make a plan and go. Bring a neighbor. East Texas needs to show up if we want to hold the line statewide. The outcome belongs to the people who turn out.
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
~Abraham Lincoln
(Widely attributed to President Lincoln but even if he didn’t say this, it’s still a great quote!)