Voter Guide: 2024 Texas primary elections

Below is the 2024 voter guide for the March 5 primary election in Texas. Included are key dates, how to register to vote or how to check your status, how to find out where and when you can vote, and what you'll need to bring with you.

KEY ELECTION DATES IN DFW

Monday, Feb. 5 - Last day to register to vote
Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Early voting begins
Friday, Feb. 23 - Last day to apply for a ballot by mail
Friday, March 1 - Early voting ends
Tuesday, March 5 - Primary Election Day -- ballots by mail must be postmarked by 7 p.m.
Monday, April 29 - Last day to register to vote in any potential runoff
Friday, May 17 - Last day to apply for a ballot by mail for any potential runoff
Monday, May 20 - Early voting in any potential runoff begins
Friday, May 24 - Likely date of any potential runoff
Tuesday, May 28 - Potential runoff Election Day -- ballots by mail must be postmarked by 7 p.m.

WHAT'S ON MY BALLOT? SEE SAMPLE BALLOTS IN TEXAS

Some key races are below. To see sample ballots for your specific county, you'll need to visit your county election webpage (links are below).

County Election Pages: Anderson, Bosque, Comanche, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Freestone, Hamilton, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, Van Zandt, Wise

WHY DO I HAVE TO PICK A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC BALLOT ON MARCH 5?

Voters can only vote in one party's primary election but they do not have to vote for the same candidate or party in the succeeding general election.

The primary elections are two separate elections that occur on the same day. The Republican and Democratic parties will use the primary elections as a method to select nominees for the general election in November.

HOW DOES PARTY AFFILIATION WORK IN TEXAS?

In Texas, a voter's party affiliation lasts from when they affiliate and expires at the end of that calendar year, which is Dec. 31. Voters can affiliate with a party by being accepted to vote in a party’s primary election, by taking the required oath at a party precinct convention, or by taking a party oath of affiliation generally. After affiliating themselves with a party, voters are ineligible to participate in party affairs of another party during the same calendar year.

A voter has not yet been affiliated with any party if they have not voted in a party primary or taken an oath of affiliation with a party this calendar year. If a voter has not yet affiliated with a party, they are able to vote in either party's primary election. Voters are not able to change or cancel their party affiliation until the end of the calendar year when it expires and they can affiliate again in the next year.

Learn more about party affiliation in Texas on the Texas Secretary of State's website.

WHY ARE THERE ONLY PROPOSITIONS ON THE REPUBLICAN BALLOT?

North Texas voters choosing to vote in the Republican primary on March 5 will also be asked to share their opinion on 13 non-binding propositions.

The propositions appear on the Republican ballot only and are not a policy referendum or a vote for a law, but rather a way for the party to gauge voter support for the proposition.

Texas Democrats did not add any propositions to their ballot, so propositions only appear on the Republican ballot.

To see the 13 propositions put forth by Texas Republicans, click here.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN I SEE ELECTION RESULTS

We will provide a link to our main election coverage on Election Day or the evening before. In that article, you'll see links to all races. Check back for the link.

Results will not be available until after the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. Typically early voting numbers are released first, shortly after 7 p.m., and then day-of ballots are counted and updated throughout the night.

HOW TO REGISTER/AM I REGISTERED?

The last day to register to vote in the state of Texas for this election was Monday, Feb. 5. You can check your voter status at VoteTexas.gov. If you have not yet registered you will not be able to vote in this election, but you can still register to vote in future elections by printing out an application online and then mailing it to your county election office. Also, Texans can now register to vote online, but only when they renew or update their driver's licenses.

WHERE DO I VOTE IN NORTH TEXAS ON ELECTION DAY?

County election offices and the secretary of state's website are supposed to post poll location information closer to the start of voting. Locations are subject to change, so be sure to check your local county's election website before heading to vote.

County Election Pages: Anderson, Bosque, Comanche, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Freestone, Hamilton, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, Van Zandt, Wise

WHAT IDENTIFICATION DO I NEED TO VOTE?

You must present one of the following forms of photo ID when voting in person:

• Texas driver's license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
• A United States Military Identification card containing the person’s photograph
• A United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph
• A United States Passport (book or card)

ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN TEXAS

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) dramatically reduced the number of locations across the state that can accept a handed-in absentee ballot to ensure that poll watchers had adequate access to each location. Beginning in October 2020, mail ballots delivered in person by eligible voters can only be delivered to one location in each Texas county -- that location is designated by each county's early voting clerk. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID.

To qualify for a mail-in ballot in Texas, voters must be: away from their county of residence on Election Day and during the early voting period; sick or disabled; confined in jail but otherwise eligible to vote; or 65 years old or older. Absentee voters must also include their Texas driver's license number, Texas DPS-issued ICN or ECN, or the last four digits of their Social Security number, whichever matches their voter record, or a statement that they have not been issued any of those forms of ID.

The last day to apply for an Absentee Ballot is Feb. 23; Absentee ballots may be submitted in person at any time as long as it's received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots that are mailed in must be postmarked by Election Day.

• In Tarrant County, absentee ballots can be dropped off in person at the Tarrant County Elections Administration office at 2700 Premier Street, during regular business hours. The ballot may also be hand-delivered on Election Day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier. Read more here.
• In Dallas County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Early Voting Clerk's Office at 1520 Round Table Drive. A full schedule, with extended hours, is available on DallasCountyVotes.org. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.
• In Denton County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Early Voting Clerk's Office at 701 Kimberly Drive. Ballots may be hand-delivered during regular business hours. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.  Read more here.
• In Collin County, absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Elections Department at 2010 Redbud Boulevard, Suite 102 during regular business hours. More information can be found here. You may only hand-deliver your own envelope and not for another individual and you must bring ID. Ballots may also be delivered to the clerk via a common or contract carrier.

HAS MY BALLOT BEEN RECEIVED?

If you would like to verify if your mail-in or in-person ballot has been received you can verify that information at txballot.org. Ballots that were mailed in may take a few days to show up on the website.