election guide

Here's what to know for early voting in Texas' 2024 primary election

This year's primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 5, with early voting from February 20 to March 1.

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It's almost time for Texans to cast their ballots in the 2024 primary election, choosing candidates for president, U.S. Senate, the Texas Legislature, and more.

This year's primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 5.

The last day to register to vote in the primary election was February 5. You can check online to see if you are currently registered.

Early voting for the primary will be held from Tuesday, February 20, through Friday, March 1.

Here is everything you need to know about voting in the primary election, from polling locations to what you may see on your ballot.

WHAT IS A PRIMARY ELECTION?

Texas is an open primary state. That means voters don't register as members of a particular political party. Instead, eligible Texas voters can cast a ballot in either party's primary election, but not both. The same goes for a runoff election from a primary election.

At the polls, you'll have to choose whether you want to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary. Then you'll be selecting among members of your chosen primary when you cast your vote.

So, for example: If you choose to vote in the Republican primary election on March 5, you'll be able to choose which Republican candidate for president should be on the ballot in November, but you will not be able to choose which Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate should be in the running.

There will be no propositions on the March 5 ballot.

WHEN AND WHERE YOU CAN VOTE

Registered and eligible Texas voters may vote at any early voting location located in the county in which they live.

Early voting locations will be populated through the Vote Texas website two days before the first day of early voting. All voters have to do is plug in their information in order to find polling locations.

Early voting for the Texas primary election started on Tuesday, February 20, and runs through Friday, March 1. During early voting, polling place hours vary at each location.

On Election Day, March 5, things work a little differently.

You will want to see if the county you live in participates in the Countywide Polling Place Program (CWPP). If your county does participate in CWPP, you can vote at any polling place in the county. If your county doesn't participate in CWPP, you can only vote at the polling place assigned to you on Election Day.

On Election Day, all polling places across Texas are open from 7 am to 7 pm. As long as you get in line before 7 pm, you will be able to vote.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING TO VOTE

To vote in Texas, you need to have a form of identification when you go to cast your ballot at a polling location. Here is a list of acceptable forms of photo identification:

Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
U.S. Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
U.S. Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
U.S. Passport (book or card)

If you don't have one of the forms of ID listed above and can't reasonably obtain one, you can bring one of the following in order to execute a "Reasonable Impediment Declaration":

Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
Copy of or original current utility bill
Copy of or original bank statement
Copy of or original government check
Copy of or original paycheck
Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

WHAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT?

Here's a look at some of the key races you may see on your ballot, depending on where you live and which primary you choose to vote in.

Federal races

President
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is seeking a second term. Seven other Democrats are challenging the president in hopes of becoming this year's nominee

Meanwhile, on the Republican ticket, former president Donald Trump is also hoping for a second term. Three other Republicans remain in the race, hoping to be chosen as the nominee instead.

Democratic candidates:

Joe Biden (incumbent)
Armando "Mando" Perez-Serrato
Gabriel A. Cornejo
Star Locke
Cenk Uygur
Frankie Lozda
Marianne Williamson
Dean Phillips

Republican candidates:

Donald Trump
Nikki Haley
David Stuckenberg
Ryan Binkley

U.S. Senate
Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is seeking a third term. Two other Republicans are challenging him. Meanwhile, nine candidates are running for the Democratic ticket.

Republican candidates:

Ted Cruz (incumbent)
Rufus Lopez
Holland "Redd" Gibson

Democratic candidates:

A. "Robert" Hassan
Roland Gutierrez
Carl Oscar Sherman
Heli Rodriguez Prilliman
Thierry Tchenko
Meri Gomez
Mark Gonzales
Steven J. Keough
Colin Allred

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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