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Early voting for the primary runoffs starts Monday. Here’s what you need to know

KUT Staff, Houston Public Media | Published on 5/16/2022

Early voting in the primary runoff elections begins Monday and runs through Friday. Election Day is May 24.

Several races from the March primary in Texas went to a runoff, meaning no candidate seeking their party's nomination got more than 50% of the vote. So now, the top two candidates in those races are facing off this month. The results will determine who will be on the ballot in the general election in November.

In Texas, you can vote in only one party’s primary in a given year. So, if you voted in the Democratic primary in March, you have to vote in the Democratic runoff. If you didn't vote in a March primary, you can vote in either party's runoff race.

Here's what you need to know.

Make sure you're registered

Go here to verify your registration anywhere in the state. The deadline to register has passed.

Polling locations

You must vote at a polling location in the county where you live.

Harris County polling locations are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Here's a map from the Harris County Elections Administrator’s Office:

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Don't forget your ID

Make sure to bring a photo ID. The ID should be up to date or expired up to four years. Voters 70 or older can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time.

If you had trouble getting an ID and can't get one, here are some alternatives:

government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
current utility bill
bank statement
government check
paycheck
birth certificate

If you use one of these, you'll have to sign a form that says you had a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.

Want to vote by mail?

The deadline to apply to vote by mail has passed. If you are voting by mail, make sure your county’s elections office receives your ballot on or before Election Day. You can mail in your ballot or hand-deliver the sealed envelope to your county’s elections office on Election Day. You’ll need to show ID if you go in person.

The League of Women Voters has put together a guide to voting by mail for Central Texas voters here. You can check the status of your mail-in ballot on the Texas Secretary of State’s website here.

What's on the ballot?

Below are the races all Texans will see on their ballots. You might also see some legislative and congressional elections that vary based on where you live. Here are sample ballots from Harris County: Democratic | Republican

Republican Statewide Ballot

Texas Attorney General

Ken Paxton (incumbent)
George P. Bush

Land Commissioner

Dawn Buckingham
Tim Westley

Railroad Commissioner (oil and gas regulator)

Wayne Christian (incumbent)
Sarah Stogner

Democratic Statewide Ballot

Texas Attorney General

Rochelle Garza
Joe Jaworski

Lieutenant Governor

Michelle Beckley
Mike Collier