To vote or not to vote? Here’s why it matters.
This is a preview of our Texas 2036 newsletter on why voting matters in the party primary elections. To receive this weekly look at our work, sign up here.
To vote or not to vote?
We’re here to solve that question.
Voters this week begin the work of picking who will represent them in the statehouse and beyond. Join your fellow Texans, and VOTE in the party primaries.
Be the Texas voter who participates in primaries.
Based on historical turnout data, almost 1 in 5 voting-age Texans will decide who is going to be on the November ballot and what issues are going to take priority in the next Texas Legislature.
With turnout at 19% in 2020 and only 14% in 2022, every vote has a Texas-sized impact on the future of our state.
Tip of the iceberg: In 2020, Texas was home to 21.6 million voting-age adults. Of those, 16.2 million were registered to vote and 4.1 million voted in the party primaries.
As of last week, 17.9 million Texans had registered to vote in the 2024 primaries.
Your primary vote shows elected officials that you care about Texas’ future.
In Texas, who you vote for is private, but whether you vote is public record. Stand out in your community as a proud Texas primary voter. Join the few who decide our state’s future. Early voting is now!
💡 The Texas 2036 Difference: We have brought together data and worked with lawmakers and government officials to make significant steps toward making:
- water clean and plentiful,
- students college and career-ready, and
- health care accessible and affordable.
🔌 Harnessing data to help power Texas’ future: And check out the Future of Texas Energy Dashboard, our latest data-driven project aimed at helping Texas choose the best pathway to keeping the Texas Miracle powered up!
Voting in the primaries is easy.
While primary turnout tends to be low, it’s actually very easy to make sure your voice is heard. Here’s a rundown of what you need to do to participate in next month’s Texas primary elections:
- Confirm your voter registration: You can check your registration status online.
- Research: Nonpartisan voter guides like the one published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund will inform you what’s on each ballot. You can also look up who’s on the ballot in your county with this handy tool from the Texas Secretary of State.
- Bring a photo ID: You’ll need to show your photo ID and sign a pledge not to vote in another party’s primary this election cycle.
- Choose a ballot: At the polling place, be prepared to tell them whether you’re voting in the Republican or Democratic primary.
- Vote: Choose your preferred candidates and proposals for that party.
Make your plan to vote: Don’t wait until it’s too late. With early voting open between Feb. 20 and March 1, now is the time to make a plan to vote and share with your family, friends, colleagues and communities why participating in Texas’ primary elections matters.
Do you plan to vote in this year’s party primaries?