In 2024 I wrote an article about the importance of voting in primary elections in Texas. Many people don’t realize how important the primary elections are, or how much more your vote counts because there are so few people that vote in the primary.
I’m re-posting the 2024 article below, but with a few changes. Most significantly, I am no longer recommending the strategy of Democrats voting in the Republican primary.
Given recent events, I personally can no longer in good conscience associate in any way with a fascist authoritarian party that has no respect for democracy, the rule of law, or truth itself. To vote in the Republican primary helps present a false picture of how much support the GOP has in Texas, which I believe can suppress the general election turnout of Democrats who may feel that voting makes no difference.
Primary Voting in Texas
Many people don’t really understand what a primary election is, or why they should care. I hope that this article helps you realize the importance of the primary election, and motivates you to go and make your voice heard!
What is a primary?
The primary election is where the two major parties – Democrat and Republican – select their candidate for each race that will compete in the general election.
Why is the primary election important?
In many counties in Texas, the electorate historically has leaned Republican, and the Republican candidate that won the primary was considered a strong favorite to also win the general election in November. I now believe that the Democratic groundswell in Texas is such that Democrats have a good chance to win many of the state and federal elections – if they show up at the polls.
Which primary do I vote in?
Texas is an “open primary” state, which means that voters do not have to declare a party affiliation when registering to vote and can choose to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary election (but not both). You can still lean independent or Democrat and vote in the Republican primary, or vice versa.
If I’m a Democrat, why would I vote in the Republican primary?
The best reason for this is to express your preference for moderate instead of extreme candidates. And chances are good you’ll be OK with whoever wins the Democratic nomination anyway, even if you don’t vote in that primary.
If I’m a Democrat, why would I NOT vote in the Republican primary?
First, the Republican party is for all intents and purposes now the fascist / authoritarian / Nazi party. I cannot in good conscience recommend voting for any Republican candidate, even if it is only in the primary.
Additionally, as I mentioned previously, simply voting in the Republican primary pads the statistics and prevents a skewed picture of how solid a hold Republicans have on Texas. This in turn discourages Democrat turnout in the general election.
Finally, there are strong Democrat candidates running in every major federal and state race this year, which has not been the case in the past. Democrat voter turnout is essential to make sure the strongest candidates get selected and to signal significant support for them.
What about races where the candidate is unopposed? Or I don’t like any of them?
You can choose to vote, or not to vote, in whatever races on the ballot you choose to do so. If you don’t like any of the candidates, you can just leave it blank. If there’s an “Undecided” option, you can check that too.
What are “Propositions”?
In the primary election, propositions are just to allow voters to express their opinions on policy issues or proposed changes to the state constitution. You’re not actually voting on a change in the law at this point, but the issue may show up again on the general election. Voters in the primary can express their agreement or disagreement with the propositions, and this can help influence the direction of future legislation. Both the Democrat and Republican ballots have propositions specific to that party.
Should I vote early, or wait until Tuesday?
It’s your choice, but early voting is generally less stressful and you likely won’t have to stand in line. But you have to do it by the Friday before election day because early voting closes then. The early voting places are open from 7 am to 7 pm each day this week. If you vote in person, election day for the primary this year is March 3rd. Note that early voting locations are different than the general election polling places, so look it up on the elections.mctx.org site (if you’re in Montgomery County).
I will also mention that, if you are traveling abroad and may miss an election, you can apply to vote by mail. The ballot will be emailed to you; you print it out, complete it, and send the ballot back using a courier service like FedEx or DHL. Instructions are here. Note that you must submit your request well in advance of the election (for this year’s primary, it must be received by Feb 2nd!) or you won’t be allowed to vote!
What do I need to do to vote in the primary?
- Figure out where your polling place is. If you live in Montgomery County, you can find this at http://elections.mctx.org/vrlookup.asp. Put your name and birthdate in, and it will show you the polling place and sample ballots.
- Download the sample ballot and decide how you’re going to vote. If you’re relatively new to this process, you may want to discuss your ballot with someone whose judgment you trust and you know is aligned with your values. But at the end of the day, it’s your choice. If you want information on the candidates you can look at the Blue Voter Guide site.
- Take a PRINTED COPY of the sample ballot with you to the polling place. They won’t let you use your cellphone, and there are too many races to be able to keep them all straight in your mind.
- When you go in, have your photo ID ready (Texas Driver’s License is best) and hand it to the election worker at the table. Tell them which primary you want to vote in, Democrat or Republican. They’ll sign you in and give you a slip with a number on it.
- Go to an open voting booth, put your paper ballot in the slot, and enter the ID number they gave you into the machine. Then vote. When you’re done it will print your ballot, and you take that to the ballot reading machine to have your vote counted.
I hope this helps you understand why the primary election in Texas is so important, and gives you the information you need to effectively participate in the political process. Make your vote count!
Thanks for this, Tartan. I would like to point out that voting in one of the two major parties’ primary makes you a member of that party for the calendar year. You attest to that when you choose and sign your name. This has few practical implications for most people most years, but for politically active people, it’s constraining. You are legally forbidden to work in the party apparatus of any other party. Forbidden activity includes holding a precinct office (pres, secretary), working on a committee, and caucusing. Additionally, if there are two primaries in a year, which I think happens only when there’s a special election, you will not be limited to vote in the same party’s primary for the chronologically second primary.
Just proof read after posting (doh!). Last sentence has an errant “not.” In fact, you will be limited to voting in the same party’s primary.
Thanks for the clarification, Wes. Definitely good to keep in mind the “edge cases” that provide more incentive to vote in the primary of the party that you intend to actively support during the year.