Election More Than Federal Races

I’m fairly sure that most if not all of the news, noise, and campaign material you’ve probably seen has been for federal candidates Joe Biden, MJ Hegar, and Vicente González. There are 11 other races that also matter quite a bit and some of them matter in ways not everyone recognizes.

Even some Texans don’t realize that the Texas Railroad Commission doesn’t regulate railroads, it regulates the oil and gas industry and this election we have an opportunity to elect a highly qualified individual who recognizes that global climate change is an existential threat to the existence of our way of life. Her opponent operates oilfield waste disposal businesses and stands to make more money by keeping oil and gas industry regulation to a minimum. If you drive through west Texas at night you’ll seen dozens if not hundreds of fires roaring into the sky as oil wells flare off natural gas that they don’t want to bother with capturing and instead is allowed to be wasted on top of contaminating the environment with the CO2 and other damaging gases. Because the Railroad Commission rules state that all three commissioners have to agree to a permit to flare at a well if Chrysta Castañeda were elected she would have the power to stop the wasteful and environment damaging flaring.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) is another state agency with a role that many don’t know or understand. The SBOE has two main functions, oversee the investment of money from the proceeds from the sale and the mineral-related rental of many public lands in Texas which in turn funds textbooks for every public school student in the state and setting curriculum standards then reviewing and adopting instructional materials. Our representative on that board is up for election this year and the incumbent isn’t running. This is a golden opportunity to elect respected teacher and former Fulbright Scholar, Rebecca Bell-Metereau. I first met her about a decade ago and know her to be conscientious and deeply committed to raising the quality of education in our state. She will work to reduce the load of standardized tests our students are put through so that teachers aren’t force to teach to the test. Bell-Metereau has two daughters who graduated from Texas public schools and understands the limitations forced on both students and teachers by Texas’ many make or break tests.

If you’re among those who have requested a mail-in ballot I urge you to fill it out and mail it as soon as possible to avoid any chance that it will be delayed by the disruption of mail service caused by the recently appointed Postmaster General’s edicts eliminating overtime and shutdown of mail sorting equipment at many facilities. If your ballot doesn’t reach the elections office by Wednesday November 4 it will not be counted. In person early voting started yesterday so take advantage of the extra week and get it done early when crowds are light to help protect yourself from potential infection. The longer you wait the heavier the crowds are likely to be and the longer you’ll be stuck with a bunch of other people. This election is ours to lose and the way to do that is to not show up to make your voice heard. There are 14 Democratic candidates on the ballot in Guadalupe County, since we can no longer vote straight ticket be sure to mark all 14 of our candidates on your ballot.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - October 14, 2020