Endorsement

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Donna Howard

Heads up again to those folks out in state District 48 – your Legislature needs you once again. Early voting commences this week for the Valentine's Day run-off between Donna Howard and Ben Bentzin, and if you're going to be eating chocolates that day you might as well get your civic duty completed now (at least 'til the primaries). It will be no surprise that the Chronicle is endorsing Donna Howard in the run-off, as we did in the original vote, but let's take a moment to rehearse the reasons. As we've said, Howard has been a school board member and a critical-care nurse, and has made education and health care the dominant issues of her campaign, which has been immediately visible and effective. She understands the predicament of the current school-finance system, its specific, often contradictory effects in her district and in Central Texas as a whole, and she will be an immediate asset to the regional delegation as well as to the Democratic minority in the House. More surprisingly, Howard's dominance in the initial vote confirms her effectiveness as a campaigner, and also suggests that local Democrats are energized by her candidacy as well as by the possibility of making a visible difference at the Lege. By contrast, Bentzin has become a less effective and less accessible campaigner in his second run for office, the inevitable consequence of his blatant submission to state Republican priorities.

Howard should have won the initial vote outright, but thanks to quirky Dems – you know who you are – failed to garner the 73 additional votes for a majority. Now's your chance to make amends – get out there, vote for Donna Howard, and make a visible difference at the Capitol.

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ELECTION DAY

Tuesday, February 14For election day locations, go to www.co.travis.tx.us/county_clerk/election or call 238-VOTE.

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EARLY VOTING

Monday-Friday, Feb. 6-10; 7am-7pm except as noted

Central: Travis Co. Tax Office, 5501 Airport

North: Randalls, 10900-D Research @ Braker

west: Randalls, 3300 Bee Caves Rd.

NORTHWest: Northwest Rural Community Center, 18649 FM 1431, Ste. 6A

Central: Howson Branch Library, 2500 Exposition, Mon.-Thu., 10am-7pm; Fri., 10am-6pm

MOBILE LOCATIONS

Monday, Feb. 6: Volente Volunteer Fire House, 15406 FM 2769, 10am-6pm

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Summit at West Lake Hills, 1034 Liberty Park, 9am-noon; Brighton Gardens, 4401 Spicewood Springs, 2-5pm

Wednesday, Feb. 8: Seton Northwest, 11113 Research, 9am-noon; Luby's, 8176 N. MoPac, 2-6pm

Thursday, Feb. 9: Lago Vista ISD Administration Bldg., 8039 Bar K Ranch Rd., 10am-6pm

Friday, Feb. 10: IBC (International Bank of Commerce), 10405 FM 2222, 10am-5pm