Early Voting Starts Today In Texas - Go! Go! Go!

Plan, Vote, Win: Early voting in Texas is here!

Early voting is finally here, and it’s time to make your voice heard. Do you have a plan in place to cast your ballot? Whether you’re already in line or getting ready to head out, now is the time to take action.

Early voting starts today and ends on November 1. Election day officially falls on Tuesday, November 5.

I always recommend voting early. That way, you can have a backup plan if something goes wrong (e.g., your car blows up or your goldfish dies). I know many of you are anxious to get it done and over with and will rush to the polls on the first day.

Check your county’s website for specific polling locations and services like live waiting times. Larger counties may offer county-wide polling, meaning you can vote at any location, while smaller ones may not. Each county is different, but you can look up your early-day and election-day polling locations with the Secretary of State HERE.

Because of Republican absurdities, the election systems in Texas have changed a lot since 2020. We’ll have to wait and see how some of these new laws play out. One change is that counties with a population of 100,000 or more must implement a live video streaming system during ballot counting.

What can we expect to see from early voting?

In 2020, 9.7 million Texans voted early, accounting for roughly 66% of the vote. On the first day of early voting, 1.1 million Texans voted.

2020 was Texas’ biggest turnout year in history, but it still lags behind every other state. This year, many elected officials, candidates, and grassroots activists have been working hard to change that. And you must remember that in November 2020, the number of coronavirus incidents was high.

As a state, our collective goal should be to break the records we set in 2020.

Earlier this year, a Democratic Party insider told me that we could expect to see Texas flip with 6 million Democratic votes (statewide). If we break that threshold, we will hand a win to Kamala Harris and Colin Allred.

Will early voting be an indicator? It’s hard to say because we don’t register by party. How many people voted early in 2020 because of COVID-19 but will vote on election day this year? In general, a high early voter turnout typically favors the Democrats.

I’ll keep you as updated as possible all along the way.

This was the early voting location I drove past this morning in Arlington, ten minutes before the polls opened, and the line is wrapped around the building.

(Yes, 90s Rap. I’m a Xennial, it’s what we do. 🤣)

What can you do now?

In addition to casting a ballot, make sure all your friends and loved ones go to the polls, too. In this election cycle, every vote matters, especially with so many critical issues on the line. Make it a point to check in with loved ones about their voting plans and offer to help them find their polling locations, provide transportation, or even be a reminder to vote.

We’re all aware that the world is on fire right now. Unless your name is Marc Elias or Merrick Garland, (or something of the sort), there isn’t a whole lot you’ll be able to do about it. Try not to stress about the Republicans attempting to subvert this election, hope that the checks and balances put in place will work at intended, and vote like the other side is itching for a civil war.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll update you regularly on early voting numbers, trends, and how things are going. So, stay tuned and get to the polls.

• October 25: Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot.

• November 1: Last day to early vote.

• November 5: Election day!

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