LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT KISD POLLING PLACES:
Dear Editor:
As a school board candidate this past spring, I became aware of the many policies, activities and actions that in my opinion do not appear to represent a fair and honest treatment of some of the patrons of the Katy Independent School District. Primary among these discoveries is the apparent political manipulation of the voting process that has existed for some time and is manifested by the entire central portion of the school district being disenfranchised in one way or another. The politically motivated gerrymandering of voting precincts, and also the failure to provide a reasonably located absentee ballot box for the central area of the District needs immediate attention.
At the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, June 25, if I am allowed to speak, I plan to ask that this situation be remedied by the Board. The central area north of Interstate 10 votes at two polling places: Williamsburg Elementary, located in Williamsburg Settlement, and Mayde Creek Elementary, located on Greenhouse Road. Most residents of the Williamsburg subdivisions know where Williamsburg Elementary School is located and have no trouble finding it if they want to vote. However, residents of the Sundown area, the apartments along Fry Road, and the Westfield and Silvermill areas, who are often discriminated against in other ways by our district because they are perceived by the Board as being non-voters and uninterested in political matters, must drive out of their way to vote at Williamsburg Elementary in an unfamiliar neighborhood when they could vote just down the street at Mayde Creek Elementary if someone really wanted them to be able to vote. These two precincts need to be realigned so that the precinct lines encompass a contiguous area.
South of Interstate 10 the Memorial Parkway area should be provided with its own ballot box. There are approximately 32,000 registered voters in the school district. At present there are seven precincts. These precincts should be based on voter population, but they are not. Memorial Parkway is a prime example of an area that has many voters but is split between the Taylor box and the West Memorial box thus confusing voters of the area and consequently discouraging them from voting in school board elections. This area should have its own ballot box.
The District also provides absentee boxes for the west end and the east end of the district, but those living in the central suburbs do not have a conveniently located absentee box. One should be placed at Taylor High School as that is an easily located school on a major thoroughfare. A look at the addresses of those voting absentee in the May 5 elections will verify that central area residents do not find the present locations convenient and do not vote absentee in the same proportion as voters residing in the east and west ends of the District. These exclusionary practices by the Board are obviously politically motivated and discriminatory.
I would imagine that the United States Justice Department would find the current treatment of voters in our school district very interesting. Deliberate attempts to deprive voters of their right vote in an easy manner should be reported to this federal agency. Studies show that voter participation drops off markedly the farther one lives from the ballot box. Our Board members know these facts; now every one does.
In order to correct these abuses, Board action must be taken now so that the process can begin and a remedy can be effected before the next school board election in May. I know that there is a cost involved, but I can think of no better way to spend the District's money than to ensure that patrons are allowed representation on the Board by those who truly represent them. I hope that The Katy Times will carefully monitor this injustice and relay to your readers the remedy when it occurs.
Sincerely,
Mary McGarr
Nottingham Country
[FYI The voting districts were fixed, and Taylor High School got an absentee ballot box, and it's still there. MM]