Early voting for the 2026 primaries runs from February 17 – 27. Texas is one of three states with primaries on March 3, which kick off midterm primaries for the nation. While the presidential office isn’t at the top of the ticket, midterms serve an important role. They are a referendum on the party in power and can influence how current office holders move forward.
Primary elections provide an opportunity to shape the direction of the party. Often the primary race will test issues and platforms targeted towards different factions of each party before becoming a more cohesive platform for the November general election.
Importantly, those in power have a tremendous impact on the well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community. The people who we elect manage everything from healthcare access to discrimination policy, “book bans” to crosswalks. Our community lives the day-to-day effects of policies made by the people we elect, starting now.
The positions up for election this year are one U.S. Senator, all U.S. House members, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, all state House seats, select state Senate seats and local positions such as district attorney, judges and sheriff.
You can read about what local positions do here: What to know about county offices on Texas’ March 3 primary ballot.
Make a voting plan
If you’ve ever accomplished a goal, you know that planning greatly improves your chances of success. The same is true for voting. The easiest place to start is picking a date. Early voting runs from February 17 – 27, and election day is March 3. Voting early is often more convenient, but plenty of people choose to vote on election day.
Once you have your date you can look up your polling place at your county’s elections department, often as easy as searching for “[County Name] election’s department” in your browser (see Dallas’ voter lookup here).
A special note for voters in Dallas County: During early voting, voters may vote at any countywide vote center. This year the number of early voting polling locations in Dallas County will be cut from 450 to a minimum of 250. On election day, voting will be precinct-based, so make sure you make a note of your precinct when you look up your polling place.
With a date and location, you can now add your personalized vote plan to your calendar or task management systems.
Not sure which candidates most align with you? Your county’s elections department website will have sample ballots. Using your sample ballot, you can look up candidates’ websites, their endorsements or news articles that can tell you about their positions on various issues. Your local newspaper may also have candidate questionnaires which can help determine who best fits your values.
Don’t skip the sample ballot step this year! After mid-decade redistricting during the 2025 legislative session, you may be in a different district than you remember.
What you’ll need at the polling place
To vote, you’ll need an approved form of photo ID like a driver’s license or passport. If you don’t have any of the 7 forms of approved photo IDs, there are other supporting documents that you can bring that will still allow you to vote, such as utility bills, government checks, or paychecks.
You are not allowed to use your phone at the polling station, but you can bring handwritten notes. In fact, any device that can be used to record sound or images is prohibited, so that filming will not take place inside a polling place.
Your rights and how to report issues
Your Rights on Election Day
- If you make a mistake on your ballot, you can request a new one. You can receive up to two more ballots.
- If the voting machines are down, you can ask for a paper ballot.
- If a poll worker cannot find your name on the registered voter list and you are sure that you are eligible to vote, you have a right to cast a provisional ballot which will be counted after Election Day if an investigation into your qualifications and registration is conducted.
- If you are in line before the polls close, poll workers must allow you to stay to cast your ballot.
Texas Election Protection, a group of voting rights experts and trained volunteers, staff to six hotlines that Texas voters can call if they have questions or problems at the polls. They can help coordinate interpreters, disability accommodations and next steps if an eligible voter is turned away or denied a provisional ballot.
- 866-OUR-VOTE — English
- 888-Ve-Y-Vota — Spanish and English
- 888-API-VOTE — Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Tagalog and English
- 844-Yalla-US — Arabic and English
- 301-818-VOTE — American Sign Language (Video Call)
- 888-796-8683 — Disability Rights Texas
According to country elections reports, only 15% of registered voters in Dallas County voted in the 2022 primary elections, less than the statewide average of 17% and significantly less than the Wyoming primary turnout of 61%. Planning to vote increases your odds of making your voice heard among a small minority of registered voters.
While voting isn’t the end all of civic participation, it is a tangible first step. If you are already registered and you have a way to get to your polling place, it’s one of the easiest and most direct ways you can hold leaders accountable.
