Partisan elections can seem complicated, but they don’t have to be. Think of them as a sports bracket where candidates are eliminated until there’s only one person left in each race to represent their party in the big game.
In essence, primaries are two separate elections held on the same day – one each for the Democratic and Republican parties. During the primaries, voters in each party select their nominees for the general election in November.
Most federal and state elections are partisan, where candidates are affiliated with a specific political party. County elections, including judgeships, also are typically partisan. City and school district trustee elections are nonpartisan, so those elections are held in May or November and don’t require primaries.
Here are five things to know about party affiliation in the March primaries and the November general election:
- Do I have to register or affiliate as a member of a specific party?
In Texas, voters don’t declare a party affiliation when registering to vote. As a result, primaries are open to anyone who chooses to vote in them. But you can only vote in one party’s primary that year.
When you reach the polling site during the primary, you’ll be asked whether you’re voting Democrat or Republican. The ballot you’re given depends on what party you’re voting in, so you have to declare your party during the primary and runoff election.
- Can I switch parties between the primary and runoff elections?
Runoffs are held in May for primary races in which no candidate received 50% or more of the vote. If you vote in a primary in March, you can only vote in that party’s runoff in May. If you don’t vote in either party’s primary, you can choose which runoff you wish to vote in. In the general election, you can vote for candidates of any party, regardless of which party primary you voted in.
See also: El Paso Election 2024: Everything you need to know for March 5 primary
- What if I signed a petition for a candidate in the Libertarian or Green Party?
If you signed a petition supporting either party, you are ineligible to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary election. Neither the Green or Libertarian parties hold primaries; instead, they hold conventions to select which candidates move forward to the November general election.
- How are winners determined in primary elections in Texas?
A candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes cast to win, which is called a majority vote. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, the top two vote-getters proceed to a runoff election and the winner of the runoff advances to the November general election.
- Can I vote straight-ticket for my preferred party in the general election?
No. The Texas Legislature ended straight-ticket voting in 2017. Voters have to manually select each candidate they want to vote for in each race.
