Texas elections: Deadline to register to vote in primary is Monday; other key dates to know

Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman
·4 min read
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred speaks at a Texas AFL-CIO U.S. Senate Democratic Debate last Sunday in Austin, where he, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, and state Rep. Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto, were vying for support ahead of the March 5 primary.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred speaks at a Texas AFL-CIO U.S. Senate Democratic Debate last Sunday in Austin, where he, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, and state Rep. Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto, were vying for support ahead of the March 5 primary.

Election season is heating up in Texas as the state's top leaders begin touring the state to stump for their preferred candidates, even if it means pitting Republicans against Republicans. Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, are taking to the streets to campaign for candidates supporting their causes, despite finding themselves sometimes rallying against incumbent GOP lawmakers.

Texas voters on March 5 will nominate their parties' candidates for office. Monday is the last day to register to vote in the March primary.

Once the Republican and Democratic candidates are settled, Texans in November will cast ballots for president, the whole Texas House membership, 15 state Senate seats, the state's representatives in the U.S. House and a race for U.S. Senate in addition to local contests.

Here are several key dates to remember ahead of next month's primary elections and for the general election races:

More: Texas voter registration guide: What you need to know to vote in the 2024 primary election

2024 Texas election dates to know

  • March 5: Primary election day

  • May 4: Uniform election date for local, noncounty elections

  • May 28: Primary runoffs

  • Nov. 5: Election Day

Texas primary election dates to remember

Voters on March 5 will pick their party's choices for president, U.S. senator, all 38 U.S. representatives and numerous state and local offices, including Texas Supreme Court justices, district attorneys and sheriffs.

The last day to register to vote for the primary election is Monday. Voters have until Feb. 23 to request a mail-in ballot for the primary.

Early voting for the primary election begins Feb. 20 and ends March 1.

Voters in Texas are not required to affiliate with a political party to participate in elections, so voters are able to cast ballots in either party's primary, but not in both.

However, voters will only be able to vote in the same party's May 28 primary runoff if they voted in that party's primary election. Voters who did not vote in the primary are allowed to register prior to and vote in the primary runoff.

More: Border, abortion and guns dominate debate among Democrats seeking to topple Ted Cruz

Voting information can be found on the Texas secretary of state's website, including checking registration status or beginning a new voter registration.

During the March 5 primary, polls across Texas will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mail-in ballots will be accepted on the day of the election until 7 p.m., however, mail ballots received by 5 p.m. the next day will be accepted if the ballot was postmarked by 7 p.m. March 5.

Important dates for the 2024 Texas general election

After the primary elections, Republicans and Democrats will face off in the Nov. 5 general election to decide federal, state and local elections.

Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Gov. Greg Abbott last fall in Edinburg. Trump will be on the March 5 Republican primary ballot in Texas.
Former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Gov. Greg Abbott last fall in Edinburg. Trump will be on the March 5 Republican primary ballot in Texas.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

For those who did not register to vote before the primary election, the last day to register to vote for the general election is Oct. 7. Early voting for the general election begins Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 1.

Mail-in ballots can currently be requested for the general election. The last day to request those ballots is Oct.25.

To qualify to vote in Texas, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where they submit the voter registration application and be at least 18 years old on Election Day.

2024 Texas election deadlines

  • Monday: Last day to register to vote in primary election

  • Feb. 23: Primary election mail-in ballot request deadline

  • March 1: Primary early voting ends

  • March 5: Primary election

  • April 4: Last day to register to vote in May 4 local uniform election

  • April 29: Last day to register to vote in primary election runoff

  • May 4: Local, noncounty uniform election

  • May 24: Primary election runoff early voting ends

  • May 28: Primary election runoff

  • Oct. 7: Last day to register to vote in Nov. 5 general election

  • Oct. 25: Last day to apply for general election mail-in ballot

  • Nov. 1: General election early voting ends

  • Nov. 5: Election Day

Offices up for election on the 2024 Texas ballot

  • President of the United States

  • U.S. Senate

  • All 38 Texas U.S. representatives

  • Railroad commissioner

  • Texas Supreme Court (three members)

  • Court of Criminal Appeals (three members)

  • State Board of Education (seven members)

  • Texas Senate (15 members)

  • All 150 Texas House representatives

  • Courts of appeals (various chief justices and justices)

  • District judges, criminal district judges

  • Family district judges

  • District attorneys

  • Sheriffs

  • County Courts-at-Law

  • County attorneys

  • Tax assessor-collectors

  • County commissioners

  • Justices of the peace

  • Constables

Monday is the last day to register to vote in Texas before the March 5 primaries.
Monday is the last day to register to vote in Texas before the March 5 primaries.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas 2024 elections: Key dates to know for primary, general election