Early voting heavy on first day

On Monday, more than 10,000 Travis County voters showed up in person to vote and almost 7,000 cast ballots by mail for the first day of Early Voting for a total of 17,186.  Not only are Austin voters being asked to pick a new Mayor and Council from districts for the first time, they are voting on a rail and road bond package, three Austin Community College propositions and picking a Governor and other state officials.  Monday’s turnout represents 2.63 percent of registered voters. The biggest turnout was on the west side of Austin in District 6 District 10, with the Randalls at Research and Braker receiving the highest number at 1,084. Coming in second was the Randalls at South MoPac and William Cannon, where 724 voters cast ballots. Those polling places are in District 8. Close behind was District 7’s Ben Hur Shrine Center at 7811 Rockwood Lane, with 703 ballots. Students and others cast 548 votes at the University of Texas and 601 voters cast ballots at the Highland Mall campus of Austin Community College.  Considerably fewer votes were cast on the east side Monday. At the Gus Garcia Recreation Center, there were 110 ballots cast and at the Del Valle ISD administration building there were only 47 voters. Early Voting continues through Oct. 31 for the Nov. 4 election. City demographer Ryan Robinson has predicted the highest turnout in a municipal election in decades.