Candidates for local elections in Texas do not typically formally identify with a political party when running for office. However, party primary voting history can be one metric in evaluating candidates.
Texas is an open-primary state, meaning no one “registers” with a political party. A voter only identifies with a particular political party by voting in that party’s Primary or Primary Run-off election every two years in order to select the party’s nominees for various races in the November General Election. By voting in a Party Primary, the voter is limited to voting in any run-off election subsequently held by that party and participating in that party’s conventions during that election cycle.
Even though candidates for Leander offices do not run on a party label, a candidate’s Party Primary voting history is often an indicator that the candidate identifies more closely with that political party’s underlying principles and values. The tables below offer a glimpse into the 10 year voting history of each candidate for Leander mayor (you may need to view on a larger screen due to formatting):
| Candidate Voting Activity 2015 – 2018 (reverse chronology) | ||||||||||||||||
|
Candidate
|
Mar. 2018 Party Primary Election |
Nov. 2017 |
Dec. 2016 ACC Run-off Election |
Nov. 2016 Pres. Election |
May 2016 |
May 2016 City of Leander |
Mar. 2016 Party Primary Election |
Nov. 2015 General Election |
May 2015 City of Leander |
|||||||
| Hill | Republican | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes* | Republican | No | Yes* | |||||||
| Villarreal | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Democrat | No | Yes | |||||||
| Source: Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division | ||||||||||||||||
| Candidate Voting Activity 2008 – 2014 (reverse chronology) | ||||||||||||||||
| Nov. 2014 General Election |
Mar. 2014 Primary Election |
Nov. 2012 Pres. Election |
July 2012 Primary Run-off Election |
May 2012 Primary Election |
Nov. 2010 General Election |
Mar. 2010 Primary Election |
Nov. 2008 General Election |
Mar. 2008 Primary Election |
||||||||
| Hill | Yes | No | Yes | Republican | Republican | Yes | Republican | Yes | Republican | |||||||
| Villarreal | Yes | Democrat | Yes | NA | Democrat | Yes | Democrat | Yes | Democrat | |||||||
| Source: Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division | ||||||||||||||||
For those new to Texas or who are first-time voters, the two major political parties in Texas are Democrat and Republican. The principles, values, and positions of these parties are best summarized in their respective Party Platforms:
Texas Democrat Party Platform 2016-2018
Texas Republican Party Platform 2016-2018
*Previously, this post indicated Troy Hill had not voted in the City of Leander Elections of May 2015 and 2016. He did, in fact, vote in both of those elections.
The City of Leander jurisdiction spans across both Williamson County and Travis County in which Mr. Hill resides. In recent years, Travis County Elections has not been updating Travis County Voter History of Leander residents who voted in City of Leander elections managed by Williamson County Elections. This, combined with field coding differences between Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division, led to a misreporting of Mr. Hill’s voting record and I regret the error.
Copyright © 2018 Don Stroud