Lowry Crossing Civic Hub

Texas Elections & Voting Guide — Collin County / Lowry Crossing

> Source: Texas Secretary of State (votetexas.gov), Collin County Elections (collincountytx.gov/Elections), Texas Election Code

Voter Registration

Who Can Register?

To register to vote in Texas, you must be:

A United States citizen
At least 17 years and 10 months old (you must be 18 by Election Day)
A resident of the county where you submit your application
Not a convicted felon (unless your sentence, probation, and parole are fully completed)
Not declared mentally incapacitated by a court

How to Register

Online: Visit votetexas.gov to print a voter registration application, sign it, and mail it in
In person: Pick up applications at post offices, public libraries, DPS offices, and Texas Health and Human Services offices
By mail: Call the Collin County Elections office at (972) 547-1990 to request a postage-paid application
Deadline: You must be registered at least 30 days before Election Day

Collin County Voter Registrar

Collin County Elections Administrator: Kaleb Breaux
Office: 2010 Redbud Blvd., Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: (972) 547-1990
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Website: collincountytx.gov/Elections

Check Your Registration

Visit the Texas Secretary of State's "Am I Registered?" portal at votetexas.gov to verify your registration status. You can search by VUID number, Texas driver's license number, or name.

"Suspense" Status

If your voter registration shows "Suspense," it means the registrar is uncertain of your address (often because mail was returned undeliverable). You can still vote by completing a Statement of Residence at the polling place.

Voter ID Requirements

Acceptable Photo ID (bring one of these)

Texas Driver License (issued by DPS)
Texas Election Identification Certificate (free from DPS)
Texas Personal Identification Card (issued by DPS)
Texas Handgun License (issued by DPS)
United States Military ID Card (with photo)
United States Citizenship Certificate (with photo)
United States Passport (book or card)

Expiration Rules

Ages 18–69: ID must be current or expired no more than 4 years
Ages 70+: Expired ID is acceptable if otherwise valid
U.S. Citizenship Certificate: Does not expire

No Photo ID?

If you cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable photo ID, you may still vote by:

Presenting a supporting document (voter registration certificate, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or certified birth certificate)
Signing a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polling place

Free Election ID Certificate

Registered voters without any acceptable photo ID can get a FREE Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) at any DPS driver's license office.

How to Vote in Collin County

Countywide Vote Center System

Collin County uses Vote Centers — you can vote at ANY open polling location in the county, regardless of your precinct. This applies during both early voting and on Election Day.

Where Lowry Crossing Residents Vote

Collin County uses the Countywide Polling Place Program (Vote Centers). You can vote at ANY open polling location in Collin County — not just one assigned place. This applies during both early voting and on Election Day for all elections (local, primary, runoff, and general).

Nearest Vote Center to Lowry Crossing

Milligan Water Supply — Main Room, 1400 S. Bridgefarmer Road, Lowry Crossing, TX 75069. This location has been used as a vote center in recent Collin County elections (confirmed November 2025). However, polling locations are determined per election by the administering entity and can change. Always verify on the Collin County Elections website before voting.

Other Nearby Vote Centers

Collin County typically opens 80+ vote centers across the county. Locations near Lowry Crossing in past elections have included Princeton ISD Admin Building, Nevada (Terry Pope Administration Building), and various McKinney locations. Check collincountytx.gov/Elections/polling-locations for the current list — locations are posted approximately 2 days before early voting begins.

Election Day Hours

7:00 AM – 7:00 PM at all polling locations statewide.

Early Voting

Early voting typically runs for 7–12 days before Election Day, including some weekend hours. Check collincountytx.gov/Elections for the current schedule and locations.

Voting by Mail

You may vote by mail if you:

Will be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting
Are sick or have a disability
Are 65 years of age or older
Are confined in jail but otherwise eligible

Mail ballot applications must be received (not just postmarked) by the early voting clerk by the deadline — typically 11 days before Election Day.

2026 Election Calendar

May 2, 2026 — Local Elections (Uniform Election Date)

Lowry Crossing: City Council Ward 4 — two council seats + tax rate proposition
Candidates for Ward 4: G. Hijazen, Donna Crenshaw Outland, Ollie Simpson
Registration deadline: April 2, 2026
Early voting: April 20–28, 2026 (no voting April 21 — San Jacinto Day holiday)
Mail ballot application deadline: April 20, 2026 (received, not postmarked)
Also on the ballot: School board elections (Community ISD, Melissa ISD), municipal utility district boards

May 26, 2026 — Primary Runoff Election

Runoffs for state and county primary races where no candidate won a majority on March 3
Registration deadline: April 27, 2026
Early voting: May 18–22, 2026
Mail ballot application deadline: May 15, 2026

November 3, 2026 — General Election (Midterms)

This is the big one — federal, state, and county offices on the ballot.

Registration deadline: October 5, 2026
Early voting: October 19–30, 2026
Mail ballot application deadline: October 23, 2026

Federal offices on the ballot:

U.S. Senator (Texas)
U.S. Representative (all 38 Texas districts)

Statewide offices:

Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Commissioner of Agriculture
Railroad Commissioner
State Board of Education (8 seats)

State Legislature:

16 State Senate seats
All 150 State House seats

Judicial offices:

4 Supreme Court seats
3 Court of Criminal Appeals seats
Multiple Courts of Appeals seats
District judges

Collin County offices:

County Judge (Chris Hill [R] vs. John Brown [D])
County Clerk
District Attorney
District Clerk
County Commissioners (Precincts 2 and 4)
7 County Court at Law judges
County Probate Court judge
Multiple District Court judges
Justices of the Peace
Collin County Appraisal District Board

Levels of Government — What Each Election Decides

Federal Elections

President (every 4 years, next: 2028), 2 U.S. Senators (6-year terms, staggered), 1 U.S. Representative per district (2-year terms). Texas has 38 congressional districts after redistricting.

State Elections

Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and other executives serve 4-year terms. The Texas Legislature has 31 Senators (4-year terms) and 150 Representatives (2-year terms). Texas judges are elected, not appointed — a unique feature.

County Elections

Collin County elects a County Judge (chief executive), 4 Commissioners (Precincts 1–4), County Clerk, District Clerk, District Attorney, County Treasurer, and numerous judges. The county runs all elections through the Elections Administrator.

City Elections (Lowry Crossing)

Lowry Crossing is a Type A general law city with a Mayor and 5 Council Members. Municipal elections are held on the first Saturday in May. The Mayor and council members serve 2-year terms. Lowry Crossing uses a ward system — each council member represents a specific ward.

Where to Find Sample Ballots

Collin County Sample Ballots

Online: collincountytx.gov/Elections/sample-ballots
Search by precinct number (found on your voter registration card) or by address
Sample ballots are posted before each election with all races and propositions

Other Resources

Ballotpedia: ballotpedia.org/Collin_County,_Texas,_elections,_2026 — comprehensive candidate info
Vote411: vote411.org/texas — League of Women Voters nonpartisan voter guide
League of Women Voters of Collin County: lwvcollin.org — election calendar and voter education

Key Contacts & Resources

| Resource | Contact |

|----------|----------|

| Collin County Elections | (972) 547-1990 · collincountytx.gov/Elections |

| Texas Secretary of State | votetexas.gov |

| Check Registration | votetexas.gov → "Am I Registered?" |

| Lowry Crossing City Hall | (972) 542-8678 · lowrycrossingtexas.org |

| Collin County Voter Info | collincountyvotes.com |

| Nonpartisan Voter Guide | vote411.org/texas |

| Free Voter ID (EIC) | Any Texas DPS office |

Quick Reference

|----------|-----------|-------------|---------------|

| Register by | Apr 2 | Apr 27 | Oct 5 |

| Early voting | Apr 20–28 | May 18–22 | Oct 19–30 |

| Mail ballot app | Apr 20 | May 15 | Oct 23 |

| Election Day | May 2 | May 26 | Nov 3 |

2026 Ballot Guide — What Every Office Does

Lowry Crossing City Council (Ward 4)

Lowry Crossing is a Type A General Law city with a Mayor and 5 Council Members (one per ward). Ward 4 has 2 seats up in May 2026. Candidates: G. Hijazen, Donna Crenshaw Outland, Ollie Simpson. The council passes city ordinances (zoning, animal control, building permits, code enforcement), approves the annual budget, sets the property tax rate, authorizes contracts, appoints key staff, and manages city land-use regulations. Council meets on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 7 PM at City Hall. Members serve 2-year terms. As a general law city, Lowry Crossing's powers come directly from the Texas Local Government Code.

Tax Rate Reduction Proposition (May 2026)

A binding ballot proposition asking voters whether to reduce the city's property tax rate. Current rate: approximately /bin/bash.147 per 00 of assessed value (maintenance & operations only, no debt service). For a home appraised at 00,000, the current city tax is about 88/year. A "For" vote supports lowering the rate; "Against" keeps the current rate. Texas has no state income tax, so property taxes are the primary revenue source for local governments.

Community ISD Board of Trustees

Elected governing body of Community ISD (serves Lowry Crossing, Nevada, Copeville). Four seats on May 2026 ballot: Places 1 (special), 4, 5, 6. Powers: hire superintendent, set school property tax rate (typically 40-60% of your total tax bill), approve budget, adopt curriculum, authorize school construction bonds. Trustees serve staggered terms and act as a collective body through majority vote. Meetings are public under TOMA.

Seis Lagos Utility District Board

A Special Utility District (SUD) providing water, wastewater, street maintenance, and fire protection to Seis Lagos, Brockdale, and Commons of Camden. Five-member Board of Directors elected at-large to 4-year terms. Created under Texas Water Code Chapter 65. Powers: set water/wastewater rates, approve infrastructure budgets, authorize contracts, ensure TCEQ compliance. It is a governmental entity — NOT an HOA or private company. Board meetings are open to the public.

Texas Governor

Chief executive of Texas, but with intentionally limited power ("weak governor" system). Serves 4-year terms, no limits. Powers: sign or veto legislation (including line-item veto on spending), appoint 3,000+ board/commission members, command National Guard, declare emergencies. Texas uses a "plural executive" — power is shared with independently elected officials (Lt. Governor, AG, Comptroller, etc.).

Texas Lieutenant Governor

Often called the most powerful official in Texas — more influential than the Governor. Serves as President of the Texas Senate. Powers: presides over Senate, appoints all committee chairs and members, assigns bills to committees, decides parliamentary disputes, casts tie-breaking votes, co-chairs Legislative Budget Board. Elected independently from Governor (can be different parties). Earns ,200/year (same as legislators). Controls whether legislation lives or dies.

Texas Attorney General

State's chief legal officer. Powers: represents Texas in court (including against the federal government), issues AG Opinions that guide all state and local governments, enforces TOMA and TPIA (the transparency laws that apply to Lowry Crossing council meetings), prosecutes consumer fraud and Medicaid fraud, enforces child support orders. 4-year term.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

State's chief financial officer, tax collector, treasurer, and revenue forecaster. Collects all state taxes (60+ types). Issues the Biennial Revenue Estimate before each legislative session — the Legislature cannot spend more than this amount. Manages the state treasury, administers unclaimed property, runs Texas Tuition Promise Fund. Lowry Crossing receives a share of the 1.5% city sales tax collected by the Comptroller.

Texas Commissioner of the General Land Office

Manages 13 million acres of public land and 3,400+ miles of coastline. Revenue from public lands goes to the Permanent School Fund (helps fund all Texas public schools). Also manages disaster recovery grants, veteran programs (home loans, cemeteries), and historic sites including The Alamo. 4-year term.

Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Leads the Texas Department of Agriculture. Administers school nutrition programs (school lunch), regulates weights/measures at gas pumps and stores, licenses pesticide use, supports rural economic development, administers SNAP/food stamps in Texas. 4-year term.

Texas Railroad Commissioner

Despite the name, has not regulated railroads since 2005. Actually Texas' primary oil and gas regulator. Three commissioners serve 6-year staggered terms. Powers: regulate all drilling/production/transportation, oversee pipeline safety, set natural gas utility rates, regulate LP-gas safety, oversee surface mining. Founded in 1891, once so powerful it served as the model for OPEC.

Collin County Judge

Despite the title "Judge," this is the county's chief executive — NOT primarily a judicial officer. Presides over the Commissioners Court (the county's governing body). Powers: helps set county property tax rate and budget, heads emergency management, oversees county services (roads, courts, elections, health, emergency). In populous counties like Collin, judicial functions are handled by County Courts at Law. Current: Chris Hill (R, background in corporate accounting).

Collin County District Attorney

Prosecutes felony criminal cases in Collin County on behalf of the State of Texas. Decides who gets charged and what charges are filed. Has enormous discretion over the criminal justice system.

Collin County Appraisal District Board

Oversees Collin CAD — the agency that determines your home's appraised value for property tax purposes. The appraised value directly determines your property tax bill from every taxing entity (city, county, school, utility district).

Primary Runoff Elections

Occur when no candidate wins a majority (50%+) in the primary. Top two vote-getters face off. You can only vote in the party's runoff whose primary you voted in. If you didn't vote in the primary, you can choose either party's runoff. Runoffs typically have 5-10% turnout — your vote carries enormous weight.