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New polling site, unincorporated ESD tax and council races on the ballot
Early voting has ended and Elgin voters will head to a new polling site Saturday to cast deciding ballots for an emergency response sales tax and two contested City Council races.
Location change
Residents with a Bastrop County address will cast ballots at a new location this year, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, May 3.
Voting has moved from the Elgin Recreation Center to the North Bastrop County Community Annex at 704 Bull Run Road.
Travis County residents will return to the Elgin ACC Campus, Room 1143, located at 1501 U.S. 290.
Other voting centers include the Bastrop County Courthouse Annex in Bastrop, the Smithville Recreation Center and the Cedar Creek Annex, with additional sites listed at bastropvotes.org.
Proposition A
Affecting areas outside city limits, Proposition A would authorize a new sales and use tax to support Bastrop/Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1.
If approved, the measure would allow the district to collect an additional 1.5% sales tax in areas not already taxed at the state maximum of 8.25%. Because Elgin already collects the maximum allowed, the new tax would primarily apply to purchases made in unincorporated parts of the district, including newly formed municipal utility districts surrounding the city.
The tax would apply to all taxable goods and services purchased within the district’s boundaries.
According to district officials, revenue from Proposition A would help fund three major goals outlined in the ESD’s long-range plan: building additional fire stations to improve response times, hiring more firefighters and purchasing new apparatus.
The district spans nearly 200 square miles across two counties and recently transitioned f rom an al l-volunteer force to a department with 20 full-time firefighters. Staffing includes two trucks operating full-time in Elgin and one stationed in Mc-Dade, which opened last year.
Chief Chris Botello said call volume has increased sharply with the area’s rapid population growth, now averaging eight to 10 emergency calls per day.
“We’ve seen a crazy increase in call volume,” Botello said earlier this year. “We’re here, running full time, and doing our best to keep pace with growth. If it’s going to take us 15 minutes to get there, we need a station closer.” The district’s current funding comes from a 10-cent property tax per $100 valuation. Proposition A would not increase property taxes.
Ward 4 candidates
In Ward 4, longtime Elgin resident and former public safety leader Liston Crim is facing certified write-in candidate Stephanie Lippke.
A resident of Elgin for more than 60 years, Crim previously served as the city’s fire marshal, emergency services district commissioner and fire chief, spending 27 years volunteering as a firefighter while working full time for the Austin Fire Department.
He has served a prior term on the council in 2002 and helped establish the city’s Public Safety Advisory Board.
Crim said he is particularly concerned about emergency medical service coverage, which he described as dangerously inadequate.
“It would scare you to know how often we don’t have an ambulance available in this city,” he said.
He also cited the lack of major commercial development compared to neighboring areas and said he wants a clearer understanding of barriers keeping new businesses away.
In response to criticisms that he represents a “good ol’ boy” network, Crim said his record shows he has consistently challenged unplanned growth, unchecked annexations and a lack of accountability.
L ippke sa id she launched her write-in campaign after initially seeing Crim without a challenger, claiming voters deserve a choice on the ballot.
She added that voters have an opportunity to push for new leadership and greater accountability, changing the political culture she argues has contributed to the city’s challenges.
Over the past year, Lippke has worked to advance local reforms by organizing four nonpartisan petition drives proposing amendments to the Elgin City Charter. Her initiatives have focused on increasing transparency, adjusting term limits, tightening bond spending oversight and reducing the size of the council.
She has also advocated for a forensic audit of city finances, arguing that better stewardship of public funds is critical to Elgin’s future.
Beyond local issues, Lippke said she has backed Elgin at the state level, supporting efforts for government transparency, rural water protection and toll road accountability.
“My goal is to continue being proactive, engaged and a strong voice for Elgin,” she said.
As a write-in candidate, voters must manually fill in her name where prompted on the ballot.
Ward 3 candidates
Ward 3 incumbent Matthew Callahan is seeking a third term against challenger Tiffany St. Pierre.
During his tenure, Callahan helped oversee improvements to Elgin’s water and wastewater infrastructure, including the installation of two backup generators to keep essential services running during extreme weather events.
He emphasized the importance of preparation and said the upgrades will help protect residents from the unpredictable.
In addition to infrastructure, Callahan said he wants to help Elgin move beyond its role as a commuter community for Austin, envisioning the city growing into a destination with expanded dining, retail and entertainment options.
Community involvement remains a priority for Callahan, who said he is honored to volunteer with the local Lions Club, which supports scholarships and service projects benefiting the city.
“I want to continue serving my neighbors and be a voice to guide our community into tomorrow,” he added.
St. Pierre, challenger for the Ward 3 seat, said she is focused on raising development standards and addressing the infrastructure needs tied to Elgin’s rapid growth.
She stated the city must hold housing developers to higher quality standards, citing a rise in lawsuits over poor foundation work as evidence that current codes have not kept pace with expansion.
Alongside commercial development and infrastructure improvements, emergency services are a top priority, she said.
St. Pierre pointed out that Elgin currently lacks an urgent care facility within a 20-minute radius, a gap she believes leaves residents vulnerable.
On financial matters, St. Pierre is campaigning for stronger oversight. She has criticized the absence of a full-time financial director and said she would support a full audit of the city’s financial position. “I want to be a candidate for all Elginites — citizens who reside in MUDs and those out of city limits who have no representation but are directly impacted by decisions of the city council,” St. Pierre said. “I’d also like to represent those in other wards who feel as though their concerns go unheard.”
Ward 1 incumbent Arthur Gibson and Ward 2 incumbent YaLecia Love are both running unopposed.
