The Chairman is Out

The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas says he won't be home before Election Day.

Steve Munisteri said he voted with an absentee ballot because he'll be in Austin until after the election and won't spend a minute in Harris County, where he's a registered voter. In fact, he took part in a campaign mailer for Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, telling voters he had already voted and urging them to do the same, either by absentee ballot or in early voting starting next week.

That prompted a question, since absentee voting has some particular rules. This is from the Harris County Clerk’s website:

You may vote early by-mail if you are registered to vote and meet one of the following criteria:

- Away from the county of residence on Election Day and during the early voting period;

- Sick or disabled;

- 65 years of age or older on Election Day;

- or Confined in jail, but eligible to vote.

Munisteri is under 65, healthy and not in jail.

“Oh, it’s because I’m not going to be in the county during the voting period,” Munisteri said. Asked if that means he won’t be in Harris County from Monday through the Friday before the Election, he said that’s right, that he’ll be in Travis County that entire time.

Early voting starts on Monday, October 22 and runs through the close of business on Friday, November 2. Election Day is November 6.

If you need to talk to the chairman, he’ll be in Austin.