Texas primary elections: Where to vote and what's on the ballot

"In these primaries, Republican and Democratic voters choose the candidates who will represent their party in offices ranging from the U.S. Congress to local courts. In a state where the Republican Party dominates state government and where many legislative and congressional districts are drawn with a strong partisan slant, the primaries are often the decisive contest."

"Texas has an open primary system. It is not necessary to register with a political party in advance. However, when voting, voters must choose whether to participate in the Republican or Democratic primary. They can only vote in one of them."

"If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in any race, the two candidates with the most support will advance to a runoff election, scheduled for May 26. In that case, voters may only participate in the runoff election of the same party in whose primary they originally voted."

Texas conducts open primary elections on March 3, 2026, allowing voters to choose candidates representing their party in the November general election. The state's open primary system requires no advance party registration, but voters must select either the Republican or Democratic primary on election day and can only vote in one. If no candidate receives over 50% of votes, the top two advance to a May 26 runoff. Historically, voter participation remains low despite over 18 million eligible voters, though current political dynamics may increase turnout, particularly among Democratic-leaning voters. The primaries cover extensive federal, state, judicial, and local offices. Key dates include voter registration deadline February 2, early voting February 17-27, mail-in ballot request deadline February 20, and Election Day March 3.

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