Early voting in local elections begins April 25 at the Salado Civic Center and will continue through May 3.

Three races in Salado are contested with write-in candidates in each of the races.

This has led to some voters in Salado feeling more than a bit of angst about how to mark the ballots with the write-in candidate of their choice.

The polling location in Salado will have a list of the write-in candidates for each of the three races: Salado I.S.D. Board of Trustees, Mayor of the Village of Salado and Board of Aldermen.

A sample ballot and a list of the write-in candidates will be on the table where voters register to cast their ballots.

Also, each voting booth will have a list of write-in candidates on display.

If a voter wants to cast their vote for a write-in candidate they simply fill in the bubble and then write in the name of the candidate that they want to vote for.

All of the ballots will be looked at physically by the election officials to determine the intent of the voter.

As long as the election officials can determine the intent of whom the voter is voting for, the ballot will be counted.

Candidates for two three-year terms on the Salado I.S.D. Board of Trustees are Jeff Kelley, Darrell Street and write-in candidate Michael Matthews.

Candidates for the Village of Salado Mayor are Hans Fields and write-in candidate Skip Blancett.

Candidates for two two-year terms are Frank Coachman and write-in candidates Dr. Amber Preston-Dankert and Linda Reynolds.

In-person early voting hours are 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays April 25 through May 2 with extended early voting hours of 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on April 26 and May 3.

Election day, polls will be open at the Salado Civic Center 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 7.

Counting ballots, election officials say, may take a couple of hours because they will be done by hand.