As you are (hopefully) already aware, Georgetown is having a city council special election in District 6 this year. It is a special election because Rachael Johnrowe recently resigned from the city council. Jake French and Chere Hientzmann are the two candidates vying for a position. 

On September 29th, 2021, College Democrats, Student Government Association, College Republicans, and the Coalition for Diversity and Social Justice at our university held a city council candidate forum in Bishop’s Lounge. It was a free event, and people had the option to submit questions beforehand. All COVID-19 campus policies were observed. This was the first city council candidate forum in Georgetown at the time, and Georgetown residents were able to watch a live stream of the event and submitted questions during it.

The event began with both of the candidates introducing themselves. Then they answered pre-submitted questions and took questions from the audience. If you are unsure about how to vote, please continue reading. 

It’s time to vote! Early voting ended on October 29th, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election day is Tuesday, November 2nd. On the ballot are Texas constitutional amendments, the Georgetown City Council seat representing District 6 and Southwestern University, and other local propositions and amendments. There will not be a polling location on campus this year for this election, but the nearest location will be at the Georgetown ISD Technology Building, 603 Lakeway Dr. There’s a lot on the ballot, so here are some resources to help!

For the state constitutional amendments, the Austin-American Statesman and Texas Tribune have each released a useful voting guide with explanations for their opinions. The Williamson County Democratic Party endorsed Chere Heintzmann for City Council District 6. The Williamson County Republican Party did not endorse any candidate. A photo ID is required to vote in Texas. Acceptable forms of ID include a Texas driver’s license or ID, military ID, and/or a passport. For an extensive list of acceptable identification, visit Vote Texas. Click here to check your voting status in Williamson County. You cannot use your phone while in the voting booth, but you can bring a printed-out voting guide! Good options include the nonpartisan League of Women Voter’s Guide (Georgetown is on pages 10-12) or Vote411, where you can look up your address, find your ballot, and make your selections ahead of time to bring with you. If you run into any issues while voting, call an Election Protection Hotline: English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683. Happy voting, and may the best candidate win!