Alan Martinez 
Rio Grande Valley – Mail-In Ballots and curbside voting are some of the ways 60,000 more people voted in this year’s election.
Assistant Political Science Professor, Natasha Altema-McNeely, says an extra incentive helped increase voter turnout in the valley.
“So, here, across Texas and nationwide, is the sense that many people felt very strongly about the presidential candidates. They also feel very strongly about the down-ballot races, but then some issues really drove people to the polls, including here in the Valley,” she stated.
Usually, the 18 to 29-year-old voter age category of voters sees very low voter turnout, but this election saw a different outcome.
“It is important to note that a lot of young people, so a lot of people between the ages of 18-29 here in the Valley turned out, and the rate of turn out in comparison to previous presidential elections for that group grew, so that’s very promising,” said McNeely.
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