With early voting beginning Oct. 24 across Texas for the general election, straight ticket voters are being advised to thoroughly check their ballots before hitting submit or else they may miss out on a chance to vote on two major referendums that could shape Pearland's future.

The final two items on the ballot affecting Pearland residents are a pair of non-partisan matters – Pearland ISD’s $220 million bond and a local option election, which would overturn the city’s restrictions on alcohol sales and allow liquor stores to set up shop.

Should voters choose the straight-ticket option at the top of the ballot, the two non-partisan items would remain blank. Voters must scroll to the bottom to individually vote on each of the issues, according to PISD director of communications Kim Hocott.

“If you plan to vote straight party, remember to go to the end of the ballot to vote in the school bond election,” she said. “A straight-party vote does not count as a vote in the Pearland ISD school bond election.”

While both items will be on the ballot in Brazoria County, a small contingent of residents within PISD live in Harris County.

The school bond election will not be on the Harris County ballot, so in order to vote on the bond issues, those voters must go to a polling location in Brazoria County in addition to voting for state and national elections in Harris County.