Endorsement

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Donna Howard

Early voting commences this week for the District 48 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 complete your civic duty 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, failed to garner the 73 additional votes for a majority. Now's your chance to make amends – get out there and vote for Donna Howard.

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ELECTION DAY

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

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EARLY VOTING

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

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