Voters set to pick nominees for federal, state, local offices
Texas Democratic and Republican voters on Tuesday will pick their nominees for president, a U.S. Senate seat, 15 state Senate offices, all 150 state House seats, and an array of federal, state and local candidates seeking places on the general election ballot in November.
Democratic President Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump are considered prohibitive favorites for a rematch this fall, and Texas, along with 13 other states participating in the Super Tuesday primaries, could help cement that matchup.
In Texas, the most closely watched statewide primary race is on the Democratic
side as nine candidates battle for the right to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who faces only token opposition for renomination. Most polls have shown U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas comfortably in the lead and state Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio running second but well ahead of the rest of the field.
If no candidate captures a majority, the top two vote-getters in the primary will advance to a runoff.
Three places on the Texas Supreme Court and on the Court of Criminal Appeals are also being contested in both primaries. In the races for one seat on the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industries, incumbent Christi Craddick is being challenged by four candidates in the Republican primary.
During the early voting period, which ended Friday, Republicans outvoted Democrats by more than a 2-1 ratio. According to political data analyst Derek Ryan, about 148,000 more people voted early in the 2024 Republican primary than in 2020, when Trump was running for a second term.
On the Democratic side, early voting turnout this year was about 60% of that of 2020, according to Ryan’s analysis. But four years ago, the race for the Democratic presidential nomination was not yet secured by Biden before the Texas primary.
The polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone in line to vote by 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.
Voters should come prepared to present one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID:
● Texas driver’s license.
● Texas personal identification card.
● Passport.
● Texas handgun license.
● Military ID card.
● Citizenship certificate.
● Texas election identification certificate.
A student ID, even from a public school or college, is not an acceptable ID for voting under state law.
Any otherwise qualified voter who cannot reasonably obtain one of the approved forms of photo ID can fill out a “Reasonable Impediment Declaration” at the voting location and present an alternative form of identification, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check or voter registration certificate.