BRAZOS COUNTY — For the first time in at least 40 years, the city of Bryan will not have any local races on the ballot.
But voters in College Station will have to make some big decisions to make. Early voting ends Friday and so far, voter turnout has been extremely low.
"We have over 121,000 registered voters in Brazos county with 1,500 of voters [who have] already cast their ballots, so the turnout is substantially smaller,” said Trudy Hancock, elections administrator for Brazos County.
It’s the first time in 40 years the city of Bryan does not have local races in a general election.
”I could tell you it seems really unusual for me, I've been running elections for 41 years and this is a first, so it is different,” said Marylynne Stratta, City Secretary for the City of Bryan.
The City of Bryan changed when it holds local elections.
“Bryan has gone to every other year so that way they are not required to hold an election every year and so they staggered their councilman's places where now they vote every other year,” added Hancock.
The change saves the city about 50 to 60 thousand dollars each year a local election is not held.
“By eliminating elections every other year we're saving the city quite a bit of money as well,” added Stratta.
Although this is a big election for the city of College Station with two city council races, two school board races and seven propositions on the ballot. Come next year Bryan residents will have a big election year as well.
“That will be the mayor, single-member district one and two, single-member district five and the at large seat, so that’s a very big election for city with only seven seats on the council,” shared Stratta.
Election day is on Tuesday, November 2. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.