As early voting progresses, Kaufman County is witnessing a significant uptick in voter participation. The data reveals a striking volume of local engagement, particularly at two key locations. The Forney Sub Courthouse has emerged as a pivotal contributor to the county's turnout, tallying a total of 1,328 Democratic ballots and 1,064 Republican ballots as of Saturday. Meanwhile, just down the road at Opportunity Central (The OC), the disparity is even more pronounced, with 556 Democratic voters compared to just 221 Republicans. Collectively, these two Forney-area hubs have accounted for a remarkable 3,169 early votes, consisting of 1,884 Democratic and 1,285 Republican ballots, which represents nearly half of the county's total of 6,447 early votes recorded in the first five days of the primary season.
The Saturday Surge at "The OC"
Throughout much of the week, voter turnout at The OC remained steady, ranging from 70 to 160 voters per day. However, an exciting shift occurred on Saturday when 294 residents turned out to cast their ballots, marking the most active day for the site since the polls opened on February 17. Of those who voted that day at The OC, a significant majority—228 ballots—were for the Democratic Primary, while only 66 were cast for the Republican side.
The County-Wide Context
While the Democratic Primary currently dominates the early voting landscape in the Forney area—accounting for approximately 59% of local early votes—the overall picture for Kaufman County tells a different story. Thanks to robust turnout at the Kaufman and Terrell Sub Courthouses, the Republican Primary leads the cumulative county-wide totals, with 3,503 total ballots cast compared to the 2,944 Democratic ballots.
These figures remain unofficial and are subject to change as we advance into the second week of early voting. For those yet to make it to the polls, the data sends a clear message: your neighbors are participating. Whether Saturday's surge at The OC is indicative of a continuing trend or simply a one-time spike will be a crucial narrative to follow as we approach Election Day on March 3rd.
