Editor’s note: The Fort Worth Report’s election guide goes live today! On it, find which races are on your ballot, research who is running and read candidates’ responses to our survey.
Early voting for the March 3 partisan primaries for Texas opens Tuesday, giving Tarrant County residents the chance to choose who’s in the Nov. 4 general election.
In separate ballots, Republicans and Democrats will weigh partisan candidates in races across Tarrant County, including the recently redrawn Tarrant County Commissioners Precinct 2 seat that represents a swath of south Tarrant County, open Texas House seats after incumbents did not seek reelection, and many more.
Tarrant County residents can see who represents them here. Voter registration status and sample ballots can be found on this page.
Early voting is Feb. 17-27 at the following times:
- 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 17-20
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 21
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 22
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 23-27
Early voting locations can be found here.
What are the March 3 primaries?
Voters cast ballots in either the Democratic primary or the Republican primary.
The candidates campaign against those within their own political camps to be the party’s nominee during the general Nov. 4 election.
Whoever wins more than 50% of the vote in the primary gets the nomination. If no candidate receives over half the votes, a runoff election will be triggered between the top two vote-getters. A runoff, if needed, will be May 26.
Both parties’ primaries happen simultaneously and share the same polling sites.
This year’s primaries will look the same as they have in recent years. Tarrant County Republican Party officials had explored switching to hand-counting ballots — a move that would require voters of both parties to cast ballots in their own precinct, rather than countywide.
The local GOP ultimately decided the move was too complicated to roll out for this year’s election. However, Republican officials said they will continue examining what hand-counting could look like in the future.
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Showing up to vote
On Election Day, voting runs 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at these locations.
In order to cast a ballot, voters must present one of seven valid photo IDs:
- Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS
- Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
- Texas handgun license issued by DPS
- U.S. military identification card containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
- U.S. passport (book or card)
If a voter doesn’t have an acceptable photo ID and cannot reasonably obtain one, they must fill out a reasonable impediment declaration form and present a copy or original of one of the following:
- a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- a certified U.S. birth certificate or a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity, which may include a foreign birth document
Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.orgor @shawlings601.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Great Job Drew Shaw & the Team @ Fort Worth Report for sharing this story.
