School Board Seats, Alcohol Sales and School Bonds On Today's Ballots

The polls open at 7 a.m. for this off-year election day which most voters will sit out. The polling places will not be crowded in Dallas County where Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet expects a turnout of only around three percent. He says it could go as high as five percent in the three Dallas school trustree districts where school board members will be selected today. Tarrant County Elections Administrator Steve Rayburn predicts about the same -- a five percent turnout, maybe seven at the most. Arlington voters will decide a 200-million dollar bond issue, the district's first in ten years. Fort Worth voters decide whether to continue the half-cent sales tax for a crime control district. A few cities will decide questions on alcohol sales. The largest is DeSoto where proponents are trying for a second time to authorize beer and wine sales in stores. Two years ago, voters turned down a similar measure by nearly 400 votes.  Three other small cities including Farmersville in Collin County, Fate in Rockwall County and Sunnyvale in Dallas County are holding local option elections today.