I voted stickers sit on a table. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Early voting for the Texas primaries begins Tuesday with voters determining who will represent Democrats and Republicans up and down the ballot in November.
More than a dozen statewide offices will be decided in November, along with members of Congress, state lawmakers, judges and county officials. Some voters may find their voting district changed following the adoption of newly drawn congressional districts.
How do I know what primary to vote in?
Texas voters can choose which party's primary they want to vote in.
Texas is one of 15 states with completely open primaries, meaning that anyone who is registered to vote can vote in a specific party's primary without being a member of that party.
In contrast, only 10 states operate a closed primary where only members can vote in a party's primary.
The rest of the nation operates under rules that either allow independent voters to choose at the polls or allows the state to decide ahead of an election if they will allow unaffiliated voters or voters from another party to vote in their elections.
If a primary election goes to a runoff, only those who voted in that party's primary or who did not cast a vote at all in the primary can vote in the runoff election.
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What is a primary?
The primary election will be held on March 3. Primaries are elections that political parties use to determine which candidates will represent that party. The winning candidate will then face off against the winning candidate from the other party in the November general election.
A candidate must have more than half of the votes to be declared the winner. If no candidates get a majority of the votes in a race, then the top two vote-getters will face each other in a run-off election on May 26.
Voters are not required to register with a party to vote in a primary election, but can only vote in one party's primary election. Voters will only be able to vote in that party's subsequent run-off election.
Early Voting starts for 2026 Texas Primaries: How to cast your ballot before March 3
Early voting for the Texas primary elections begins today. Texas primary elections are set for March and Democrats and Republicans will have a chance to decide which candidates they want on the November general election ballot.
Am I registered to vote?
The easiest way to check your voter registration status is to head to the Secretary of State's website.
The Am I Registered portal on the website lets you submit your identifying information, like a Texas Driver's License number or details about your birth.
You will find out instantly if you're registered to vote. The portal will also give you your poll location and early voting locations.
Early voting in the 2026 Texas primaries runs from Feb. 17–27. Election day is March 3.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Secretary of State's Office and previous FOX reporting.