Texas’ primary election is set for March 3.
Republican and Democratic voters will choose candidates for U.S. Senate, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and comptroller. Also on the ballot are candidates for congressional and legislative offices, the State Board of Education and judicial seats.
Here’s what to know about voting.
Am I eligible to vote?
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To vote in Texas, you must:
Be 18 years of age by election day.Register in the county where you reside.Be a U.S. citizen.Not be finally convicted of a felony, or if you are, you must have completed the terms of your jail sentence, probation or parole period.Not have been declared by a court to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
If you have moved within the same county since the last election, you should contact your voter registrar to update your address. You can also do this online through the secretary of state’s website. The deadline to change your address was Feb. 2, so voters need to cast their primary ballots in their previous county.
Can you still register to vote?
For the March 3 primaries, no. Texas law requires people to register 30 days before the election in which they want to cast a ballot — that meant Feb. 2 for the primary.
If a runoff occurs, voters need to be registered by April 27 to cast a ballot on May 26. You can vote in a political party’s runoff without voting in the primary on March 3; if you vote in the primary, you must vote in the same party’s runoff.
For the Nov. 3 general election, yes. The deadline to register is Oct. 5.
Check your voter status
Uncertain whether you’re registered? You can check your voter registration status through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. Dallas County residents can also check at the county elections administrator’s office website.
Can I vote in both primaries?
No. Texas has semi-open primaries, meaning you can vote in whichever primary you want and you don’t have to register as a Republican or Democrat. One caveat: You have to vote in the same party’s primary if a race goes to a runoff, which would be May 26.