Understanding the Texas Primary Election
Primary election day in Texas is March 2. Everyone needs to WAKE UP and get out to VOTE because there are several key contested races this time around.
Many people don’t realize that the primary election is quite a big deal. It allows the people to decide who is the best candidate for their party. A primary is actually held by the government on behalf of the major political parties to determine which candidate will serve as the party’s nominee in the November election.
To give you an idea of how much of an impact a primary election can have, it was because of the results of the 2008 primary that Barack Obama ran against John McCain for President instead of Hillary Clinton.
Texas has a semi-open primary system, meaning that registered voters in Texas are only allowed to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, not both, in order to prevent party sabotage. Other political party nominees, such as Libertarians, are nominated in conventions instead of a primary.
The Governor’s seat, a four-year term, is up for grabs this year, which means there is a chance that Gov. Rick Perry could be dethroned from the position he has occupied for most of the past decade. He faces two other republican hopefuls in the primary election. There are seven candidates looking to run as the democratic nominee in the general election.
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor is also up for a vote every four years. While there is not another Republican candidate, there are three democratic candidates vying for the chance to run against David Dewhurst, who has held the office since 2002.
To round out the state’s executive branch positions on the ballot are railroad commissioner, a six-year term, as well as agriculture commissioner and land commissioner, both four-year terms.
On Mar 2, Texans may also be voting for their political party’s nominees in congressional district, legislative, state education, and judicial races.
Travis County voters, particularly democrats, face a number of contested judicial races.
In addition, Republican voters will be polled on issues ranging from limits on budget increases to requiring women to undergo a sonogram before undergoing an elective abortion in order to provide guidance to party leaders.
Polls will be open from 7am to 7pm on Election Day, Tuesday, March 2. On Election Day, voters are required to vote at their assigned polling place. To find yours, go to the election section of the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.state.tx.us.
In the case that no one candidate receives the majority of the votes in the primary election, a primary runoff will be held on April 13.
As part of The Austin Times’ public education effort, we have offered the candidates in the key contested races an opportunity to make an unedited statement. We have listed the key races and candidates below, along with a link to the statements that we received. We urge you to be informed and to go out and vote on Tuesday, March 2.
Governor
Bill Dear (D)
Star Locke (D)
Farouk Shami (D)
Bill White (D)
Alma Ludivina Aguado (D)
Felix Alvarado (D)
Clemente E. Glen (D)
Debra Medina (R)
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R)
Rick Perry (R)
Lieutenant Governor
Ronnie Earle (D)
Marc Katz (D)
Linda Chavez-Thompson (D)
Commissioner of General Land Office
Hector Uribe (D)
Commissioner of Agriculture
Kinky Friedman (D)
Hank Gilbert (D)
Railroad Commissioner
Victor G. Carrillo (R)
David Porter (R)
Texas Supreme Court Justice
Place 3
Jeff Brown (R)
Jim Moseley (R)
Rick Strange (R)
Rick Green (R)
Rebecca Simmons (R)
Place 9
Rose Vela (R)
Travis County District Court Judge
147th District
Cliff Brown (D)
201st District
Amy Clark Meachum (D)
Jan Patterson (D)
299th District
Leonard Martin (D)
Mindy Montford (D)
Eve Schatelowitz Alcantar (D)
331st District
David Crain (D)
Keith Lauerman (D)
Commissioner’s Court
Raul Alvarez (D)
Margaret Gómez (D)
Country Court at Law 3
John Lipscombe (D)
Olga Seelig (D)
Justice of the Peace
Precinct 1
Yvonne M. Williams
Precinct 2
Fidel ‘Ace’ Acevedo (D)
Precinct 3
Mike Barre (R)
Madeleine Connor (R)
Precinct 5
Herb Evans (D)
Richard Glasheen (D)
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