Early voting has officially ended in the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District (GCCDD) election, but voters can still cast their ballot on Election Day this Saturday, May 4th.
Formed in 2002 after a merger of the Clear Creek Drainage District and the Galveston County Drainage District #3, the GCCDD manages roughly 20 square miles encompassing most of Friendswood and a small portion of League City.
The GCCDD is funded by a $0.11862 property tax, which amounts to about $530 per year on a $450,000 home, the current average in Friendswood. According to a recent audit of the GCCDD’s financials, the organization brought in almost $6 million from property taxes in 2022. That same year the organization spent roughly $4.25 million with their largest expense, Repairs & Maintenance, taking $3 million.
Despite a crowded field of candidates seeking three open seats on the GCCDD Board, voter turnout in this election has been extraordinarily low. According to the Galveston County Clerk, as of Monday night less than 1,500 ballots have been cast. According to the official voter rosters, 576 of those votes were mail-in ballots and 892 were cast in person.
Drainage became a hot-button issue after Hurricane Harvey decimated entire neighborhoods in 2017, flooding almost 3,000 homes. In the aftermath, GCCDD Board incumbents Harold Whitaker and Carl Horecky faced multiple challengers as they sought re-election. While Whitaker succeeded by a narrow margin, Horecky was not so lucky and lost to newcomer Marcus Rives. When Rives sought re-election in 2022, he was defeated by another challenger, Rusty Burkett.
Residents of precincts 356, 357, 460, 461, 462, 482, 492, and 495 who have not yet voted may cast their ballots on Saturday in Friendswood at either the First Baptist Church or at Village on the Park. The polls will open at 7am and close at 7pm. Additional information, including all Galveston County polling locations and times, can be found at www.galvestonvotes.org. Election results will also be posted to the website, usually no later than midnight.
