Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM September 2018 | Page 15

Taxing Matters Let’s Party! By: Cheryl E. Johnson, PCC Galveston Co. Tax Assessor Collector [email protected] Last month you were informed that November will be the last time Texas voters may cast a straight party ballot. Other than the fact that the face of Texas governance could change, what parties exist in the State? What are their beliefs? How many appeared on November ballots over the last 20 years? According to the Texas Secretary of State, there are 26 individual parties plus independent and write in candidates. They include: American Independent Party America First Party American Party Black and Tan Republican Party Communist Party Constitution Party Constitutional Union Party Democratic Party Green Party Greenback Labor Party Independence Party Libertarian Party New Alliance Party Natural Law Party National Unity Campaign People's Party Progressive Party Prohibition Party Republican Party Straight-Out Democratic Party Socialist Workers Party Socialist Party Socialist Labor Party Social-Democratic Party States' Rights Democratic Party Taxpayers Party Predominantly, four have been represented on Texas ballots - Republican, Democrat, Libertarian and Green. The Republican Party has long been the victor with Jimmy Carter the last Democrat to win a Presidential race in the State (1976) and Ann Richards both the first woman and last Democrat to serve as the State’s leader (1990). Continued on next page MOMENTUM / September 2018 14