Community & World

Election Day Brings New and Returning Local Government to the Community

Hannah McDonough, Horizon Assistant Editor| November 9, 2022

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters lined up at the polls, casting their votes for governor, mayor, and RRISD Board of Trustees, among other positions on the ballot.

In light of Tuesday’s election, the community saw some changes in local politics, as well as some incumbent leadership continuing for another term.

The race for governor resulted in Governor Greg Abbott’s reelection. His biggest contender was Beto O’Rourke, a former member of Congress and the El Paso City Council. Texas historically votes Republican, a trend unbroken with Governor Abbott’s reelection.

The mayoral race will continue in a runoff election between Kirk Watson and Celia Israel in December. While these two candidates had the most votes, neither of them received more than 50% of the votes, a requirement to be elected mayor.

Three incumbent members of the RRISD Board of Trustees were reelected, while two new members will also be joining the board. Amber Feller will continue her term in Place 3, Amy Weir in Place 5, and Tiffanie Harrison in Place 6. Alicia Markum and Estevan Zarate will be joining the board in places 1 and 4, respectively.

Living in the Melting Pot

$With the upcoming district election fast-approaching, students express feeling concerned and disoriented regarding their minimal role in the democratic process. Many of these individuals point out that the Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD) election in particular holds the potential to affect them the most, however only a fraction of them are allowed to vote and actively take part in it.$

Students Comment On Role In Democratic Process

Smiling brightly at a fundraiser, Ms. Linnie LaMaster stands with her teen volunteers for ATX Kids Club. Ms. LaMaster emphasizes how important fundraising is when running a non-profit. “People don’t think about how expensive it can be to run a camp. We rely a lot on fundraising and donors so we can continue to give it back to the kids,” Ms. LaMaster said.

Adventures in Austin

Standing behind their decorated booth at the Spooktacular, Fiber Arts Club members entertain a customer during one of their sales. The club sold a variety of personally-crafted plushies and key chains during the event.

YMCA’s Spooktacular Event Promotes Student-Led Initiatives

The shooting took place in an H-E-B parking lot on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The scene involved police officers, H-E-B workers, and multiple parties. "I noticed on my way in that there was a girl and she was yelling at the police officer," London May '26 said. "You would think an altercation had happened because the police separated the parties."

Students Witness Shooter’s Escape

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