Texas primary election day reminders
Elections
Date Posted: 3/06/2018 | Author: Jennifer Mitchell, CAE
Today is election day for the Republican and Democratic primaries in Texas. If you did not vote early, get out to the polls today! Here are some quick tips and reminders from the ATPE Governmental Relations team:
- Polls are open today until 7 p.m. tonight. You must vote in your assigned precinct unless your county offers countywide polling. Visit the Texas Secretary of State’s “Am I Registered” website to look up your precinct and polling location, or call your local registrar of voters to find out where you can vote.
- You may vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary today - but not both! No matter which primary you choose, you can still vote for candidates of any party affiliation, including independent or third-party candidates, during the November general election.
- Don't forget to take your photo ID with you to the polls and any written notes or sample ballot you've created. You cannot use your cell phone while in the voting booth.
- If you encounter any difficulty while attempting to cast your vote today, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866.OUR.VOTE.
- Be prepared to share your input on the nonbinding propositions at the end of your ballot that will help shape the platform of the Republican or Democratic party this year. Learn more about them here.
- If you early voted or are voting today in the Republican primary, consider participating in your precinct convention tonight after the polls close. It's a chance to become a delegate for upcoming party conventions and propose or vote on resolutions to help shape the party platform on issues such as public education. (The Democratic party no longer holds precinct conventions but has a different process for becoming a delegate.) Learn more about the process for both parties here, and read tips from a Republican party precinct chair here.
- Finally and most importantly, if you're still undecided on candidates, use our search page to find your candidates for Texas House and Senate, State Board of Education, lieutenant governor, and governor. View their profiles here on Teach the Vote to find out how they answered ATPE's candidate survey, view incumbents' voting records, and more.
Your vote is your voice. Don't be silent today! Texas schoolchildren are counting on you to exercise your right to elect sound leaders who will stand up for public education. Many races in Texas will be decided by what happens in today's primary election and not the general election in November. There will also be many close races in today's primaries, which could be decided by only a handful of votes. Your vote may be the one that makes the difference!
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