March 4th, 2008
Breaking News: Obama leads Clinton in early voting

From staff reports

Sen. Barack Obama held a commanding lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton in early voting and mail-in ballots cast in the Democratic Party primary election. On Election Day, however, the first Hays County precinct to report tallies show the candidates neck-and-neck.

All told, Obama led clinton 5,014 votes to 3,377 votes as of 8:15 p.m. with 35 of 36 precincts still to report. Voters were still standing in line at polls an hour after 7 p.m. closing time waiting to cast their ballots.

Also, Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe leads challenger Celestino Mendez junior with 1,122 votes, 68.5 percent, to Mendez’s 516 votes, 31.5 percent. Pct. 1, Place 1 Justice of the Peace Jo Anne Prado was handily leading challenger Lupe Cruz, the current Pct. 1, Place 1 constable. But Cruz’s chief deputy, Stephen Velasquez was leading sheriff’s deputy David Peterson for Cruz’s job.

Results as they come in at the Hays County Elections Administrator’s Web site»