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2022 primary election guide: What you need to know before heading to the polls

From where to vote, to who is on the ballot, here is everything you need to know about voting in the primary election.

WFAA Staff

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Published: 11:26 AM CST February 16, 2022
Updated: 10:58 PM CST February 28, 2022

DALLAS

On Tuesday, Texans will go to the polls to cast their votes in the 2022 Texas primary election on March 1.

A number of offices are up for a vote - including major seats like the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. Voters will also decide who will represent them in both the state and U.S. capitols, as a number of seats changed as a result of redistricting that took place.

While the last day to register to vote in the March 1 primary was Jan. 31, voters can still check online to see if they are registered.

Early voting in Texas started on Monday, Feb. 14, and ended on Friday, Feb. 25.

Here is everything you need to know about voting in the primary election.

Head to wfaa.com/vote to get all your election resources.

Para Español, haga clic aquí.

What is a primary election?

Primary elections are like the election before the election. They are used to designate who will be a party's candidate who will later vie for office in the general election that happens later this year, in November.

Texas is an open primary state, meaning voters don't need to register as members of a particular political party. Instead, eligible Texas voters can cast a ballot in either party's primary election, but not both.

At the polls, voters will have to choose whether they want to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary. Then voters will select from among members of the chosen primary when their vote is cast.

So, for example: If a voter chooses to vote in the Republican primary on March 1, then they will only see the Republicans running for governor. Then they will choose the candidate who they want to see on the ballot for governor in the November general election.

RELATED: 4 key ways the voting will be different in Texas in 2022 under the new election law

Although primaries don't usually see the same sort of sizable turnout for the general election, they are still important because "a lot of times Texas officials are elected by the meanest or maddest voters in both parties," explained Bud Kennedy with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "You want to have a big primary turnout. You want to have a lot of people voting and a good big middle of both parties participating. If we don't get that, we have extreme candidates."

RELATED: Why voter turnout for the Texas primary election matters

Key dates

  • Jan. 31: Last day to register to vote in primary election
  • Feb. 14 - Feb. 25: Early voting for primary election
  • Feb. 18: Last day to submit an application for a mail-in ballot
  • Feb. 25: Last day of early voting
  • March 1: Primary election

How to find your polling place

Registered voters can visit any early voting location in their county during early voting. 

Early voting locations will be populated through the Vote Texas website two days before the first day of early voting. All voters have to do is plug in their information in order to find polling locations.

Early voting for the Texas primary election starts on Monday, Feb. 14, and runs through Friday, Feb. 25. Polling place hours vary at each location.

On Election Day, however, some voters may have need to vote at their specific precinct, unless their county participates in the Countywide Polling Place Program. If their county does participate in CWPP, they can vote at any polling place in the county. 

If a voter's county does not participate in the program, they can only vote at the polling place assigned to you on Election Day.

On March 1, polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and as long as a voter is in line before 7 p.m., they will be able to vote.

Can I vote by mail?

According to the Texas Election Code, only those who fall into four categories qualify to vote by mail.

  • The first way is, “absence from the county." That means anyone who will not physically be in the county where they live on election day.
  • Second, “disability." That's anyone with sickness or illness where voting in-person likely requires some assistance. Or the act of voting in person itself could jeopardize that person's health. Included in this category are expecting mothers. Fear of COVID-19 does not count.
  • Third is "age." Anyone over 65 can vote by mail.
  • Fourth is “confinement in jail." A person held in jail can get a ballot if there has been no felony conviction in their pending case.

How to apply for a mail-in ballot

To apply, you must deliver a completed application for ballot by mail to your county elections office by the Feb. 18 deadline. Applications can be dropped off in person before the start of early voting or can be submitted by fax or email. However, your county must receive a hard copy within four business days.

You can print out your own application or request one from the secretary of state’s office. 

If you are serving in the military or are an overseas voter, click here for more information about voting. If you are a voter who has a disability, click here for more information about voting accessibility.

Once you've sent your application for a mail-in ballot to your county's early voting clerk, you can check the status of your ballot through the Ballot by Mail Tracker available through the Texas Secretary of State's "My Voter Portal" page. 

Be advised, though, counties across Texas are rejecting mail-in ballot applications at much higher rates than normal, as a result of a new Republican-backed law that changed the way ballot applications are filled out.

RELATED: Having trouble with your mail-in ballot application? Travis County's judge has advice

The deadline for completed mail-in ballots to be returned to the county is Election Day, March 1. If ballots are postmarked by 7 p.m. on March 1, they will be counted if they're received by the county by 5 p.m. on March 3.

What to know on Election Day

Whether you're voting early or on election day, here are a few things to remember.

Who can vote in Texas?

To be eligible to register to vote in Texas, a person must be:

  • A United States citizen
  • A resident of the Texas county in which application for registration is made
  • At least 18 years old on Election Day
  • Not finally convicted of a felony or must have fully discharged the sentence or been pardoned/released from the resulting disability to vote
  • Not determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Are you registered to vote?

Before heading to the polls, make sure you're registered!  There's an easy way to check on the Texas Secretary of State's website.

What do I need to bring?

Voters need to have one of the following seven types of photo ID in order to vote:

  • 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

For voters between 18-69 years old, photo IDs can be expired up to four years. For those  older than 70, there is no limit.

Voters who don't have one of the forms of ID listed above and can't reasonably obtain one can bring one of the following in order to execute a "Reasonable Impediment Declaration":

  • Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
  • Copy of or original current utility bill
  • Copy of or original bank statement
  • Copy of or original government check
  • Copy of or original paycheck
  • Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

What NOT to bring or wear

This information is from VoteTexas.gov. At voting locations, you’re not allowed to use wireless devices or electronic/mechanical devices to record sound or images within 100 feet of voting stations.

Here’s what you should NOT use at voting locations.

  • Cell phones
  • Camera
  • Tablet computers
  • Laptop computer
  • Sound recorder

  • Any other device that can communicate wirelessly or record sound/images.

You’re also not supposed to wear clothing related to a candidate, measure or political party that’s on the current ballot. You can, however, wear something related to a candidate, measure or political party that’s NOT onf the ballot.

Click here for the answers to other frequently-asked questions about the election.

What's on the ballot

Although the governor's race will be the top one voters will decide in the primary, they will also get the chance to decide which candidates will advance to the general election in U.S. Senate and House races, as well as state representatives. Some counties might also have local bond elections on the ballot, too.

RELATED: 2022 Texas primary: Meet the candidates

Sample ballots

Counties often share sample ballots online ahead of elections to allow voters to see their choices. 

For information on your local elections and voting, including what your county is doing in light of COVID-19, visit your county's elections website. 

Don't see your county? Visit the Texas Secretary of State's website for a complete list.

Where is your district?

This is the first election in Texas with redrawn districts. The Texas Tribune has put together a tool to find out which district you fall in. You can check that here.

Statewide races

To see a full listing of what's on the ballot, go to the Texas Secretary of State's website. At that link, you'll be able to see a Republican and Democratic ballot for the March 1 primary. 

Below are some of the key statewide races voters will decide.  The information below is verbatim from the Texas Tribune. 

Governor

The governor is the chief executive of Texas. The seat has not been held by a Democrat since 1995, and Republican Greg Abbott is seeking a third term. His primary challengers include former state Sen. Don Huffines and former Texas GOP chairman Allen West. On the Democratic ticket, former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke has statewide name recognition after his 2018 U.S. Senate and 2020 presidential runs.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates: 

Lieutenant Governor

The lieutenant governor, the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the state Senate and heavily influences the state budget. Republican Dan Patrick is seeking a third term.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates: 

Attorney General

The attorney general is the top lawyer in Texas, representing the state in mostly civil litigation. Ken Paxton is seeking a third term, and his tenure has been clouded by a high-profile securities fraud indictment and FBI investigation into claims of malfeasance in office. He has attracted three primary foes who are well known in Texas politics.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates:

Land Commissioner

The land commissioner manages mineral rights for public lands in Texas and oversees the Alamo. The race is wide open as incumbent George P. Bush is running for attorney general.

Democratic candidates:

Republican candidates:

Agriculture Commissioner

The agriculture department supports farmers, regulates fuel pumps, and administers school lunch programs. Sid Miller is seeking a third term.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates:

Comptroller

The comptroller is the state official responsible for collecting taxes, overseeing the state treasury, and forecasting the amount of money that’s available for the state’s two-year budget. Republican Glenn Hegar is running for a third term.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates:

Railroad Commissioner

In Texas, the Railroad Commission regulates the oil and gas industry. Members of the three-person board are elected statewide. One seat is up for election in 2022.

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates:

Supreme Court of Texas

Three of the nine seats on the Supreme Court are up for election in 2022. Justices are elected statewide, and Republicans currently hold all the seats.

Texas Court Of Criminal Appeals

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the state's highest criminal court. The nine members are elected statewide and are currently all Republican. Three seats are up for election this year.

State Board Of Education

There are 15 districts within the State Board of Education. Nine are held by Republicans, and six are held by Democrats.

Texas Senate

Every seat in the 31-member Texas Senate is up for election this year because the districts were redrawn by current legislators. Sixteen Republican incumbents were drawn into safe districts for reelection, and two additional Senate seats being vacated by Republicans would almost certainly go to new GOP candidates over Democrats next year based on the percentage of voters in the district who voted for Donald Trump over Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race. Senators serve four-year terms.

Texas Senate District 5

Texas Senate District 14

Texas Senate District 18

Texas Senate District 21

Texas Senate District 24

Texas Senate District 25

Texas Senate District 28

Texas House

There are 150 members of the Texas state House. Each state representative serves a two-year term. The election takes place under a new map drawn by current legislators which creates 85 districts that would have favored Trump in 2020 and 65 that would have voted for Biden. The current partisan breakdown of the House is 83 Republicans and 67 Democrats, though Trump won only 76 of the current districts in 2020.

Texas House District 17

Texas House District 19

Texas House District 20

Texas House District 45

Texas House District 46

Texas House District 47

Texas House District 48

Texas House District 49

Texas House District 50

Texas House District 51

Texas House District 52

Texas House District 53

Texas House District 73

Texas House District 85

Texas House District 136

Federal elections

U.S. House

Texas has a new 38-district congressional map that incorporates two new House seats the state gained due to population growth. U.S. representatives serve two-year terms, and 31 sitting members are running again. The state’s current delegation consists of 23 Republicans and 13 Democrats. The new map increases the number of districts that hypothetically would have voted for Donald Trump in 2020 from 22 to 25.

District 10

District 11

District 17

House District 21

House District 27

House District 31

House District 35

House District 37

Where to find election results

WFAA will be tracking election results live as they come in on election night. Bookmark wfaa.com/elections to get the latest returns as they come in. We will also have special live streaming coverage starting at 6:55 p.m. on WFAA.com and our YouTube channel.

Remember to download the WFAA app and sign up to receive alerts to get the latest results as they come in.

Jay Wallis, KVUE's Britny Eubank and material from our news partners at nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization The Texas Tribune contributed to this report.

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