BURNET COUNTY, Texas — Election Day in Burnet County will look different this year and a little more partisan than normal.
"It's split in the room or in the building as opposed to, you know, just having one line for people to check in on," Burnet County Elections Administrator Doug Ferguson said.
This election season, the Burnet County Republican Party Executive Committee would not agree to a joint primary, which Ferguson said has been the standard for years. Instead of having all voters stand in one line at a polling place and select a Democratic or Republican ballot at check-in, there will instead be entirely different set-ups for Republicans and Democrats.
Voters will be divided by party in separate lines at the same location, which will lead to seven fewer polling locations as the county does not have enough equipment or people.
Burnet County Democratic Chair Susan O'Brien said the split is causing stress and anxiety.
"We really don't understand what's motivated this decision," O'Brien said. "Because we have to completely staff our own voting locations, we've had to recruit a lot more workers than we have in years past."
KVUE reached out to the Burnet County Republican Party Chair Kara S. Chasteen for an interview, but she declined. Instead, she sent this statement:
"While we certainly understand, and are sympathetic to, helping fill a few vacancies every so often; the fact is the Republican Party has kept the Burnet Democrat Party afloat for close to 10 years. This is not sustainable and it's time for Burnet County Democrats to staff their own elections. Moving back to a split primary ensures a smooth experience for voters, who should notice zero change from previous elections, and they can now be served by someone of their own political party. Split primaries are very common in Texas. Burnet County had a split primary until 1995. The election department post the daily voter records on their website. Party affiliation has never been a secret."