Hallettsville
Hallettsville Tribune Herald
school bond issue

School bond falls in Saturday’s HISD election

  • The proposed school bond fell, as did one of the school board's seated trustees. Challenger Justin Smith claimed Matthew Felcman's seat on the board with just 11 votes..
    The proposed school bond fell, as did one of the school board's seated trustees. Challenger Justin Smith claimed Matthew Felcman's seat on the board with just 11 votes..

    Even before polls opened on election day morn, school district taxpayers had already cast more ballots against Hallettsville ISD’s proposed $13.82 million school bond package than it would ultimately collect to support it at the end of day Saturday, May 7.

    The bond failed by a vote of 648 to 466, unofficial election night returns showed. 

    Of the 648 votes cast against it, a total of 491 of the votes were cast before the Saturday election, with 398 coming from early voters and 93 arriving by absentee ballots, all unofficially, of course. That left a total of 157 naysayers for election day.

    By comparison, supporters of the bond had 369 votes cast prior to 7 a.m. Saturday, 322 of those by way of early voters and 47 arriving by absentee ballot, which left 97 more votes on election day, likewise all unofficial.

    The numbers remain unofficial until they are reviewed, or “canvassed,” by the local school board, and the trustees then vote to approve those numbers for the record. 

    Then, and only then, are they considered “official.”

    One other contested race on the Hallettsville ISD ballots had challenger Justin Smith inching out incumbent Matthew Felcman 473 to 462 for his Place 4 Seat on the local school board, unofficial results showed.

    Much like the bond issue, the lion's share of the voting came prior to election day. Felcman led by nine votes with early voters, topping that category with a vote of 309 to 300. Election day numbers also went to the seated trustee, with Saturday’s box totals going 107 to 105 in Felcman’s favor. 

    The absentee ballots, however, is where Smith gained the most ground, securing a 22-vote lead when the absentee tally rang in at 68 to 46, his favor.

    The unopposed Place 5 HISD school board seat held by Trustee Brian Henneke also appeared on Saturday’s ballots. He collected 874 total votes, unofficially, with 575 coming from early voters, 203 on election day and 96 by absentee ballot. 

    All numbers used in this report are based on figures submitted to the newspaper late Saturday by Lavaca County elections administrator Amy Kloesel.