Early voting starts today for the March 3 primary elections. Republicans and Democrats across the state are deciding who their party's nominees will be in the November general election.
The 2026 primary election is jam-packed with pivotal state and local races.
Voters will choose their party’s candidates for Texas governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, U.S. senator and every state House seat.
Primary elections historically have low turnouts in Texas, but they give voters a chance to pick from a broader group of candidates, which means it’s more likely voters will cast their ballot for someone they feel actually represents them. Plus, due to heavy gerrymandering in Texas, some state races are all but decided in the primary election.
This guide is here to inform you on what’s on your ballot, help you make a plan to vote and get that ‘I Voted’ sticker.
What's on my ballot?
Several key state races are on the ballot, including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, U.S. senator, Texas comptroller and more. Here’s a breakdown on the biggest statewide races.
In Williamson County, voters will also decide the nominees for county commissioner.
You can find a personalized ballot based on where you live by visiting the Vote 411 website.
Am I registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration by going to the Texas Secretary of State’s My Voter Portal. The deadline to register for this election has passed. If you missed the deadline, you can get registered for the next election by visiting the Vote Texas website.
When and where can I vote?
Early voting runs from Tuesday, Feb. 17, through Friday, Feb. 27. Election Day is March 3.
Early voting dates and times:
- Tuesday, Feb. 17, through Saturday, Feb. 21 —7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, Feb. 22 — 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Monday, Feb. 23, through Friday, Feb. 27 — 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
During early voting, voters may cast their ballot at any one of Williamson County's listed polling locations. However, this will not be the case on Election Day.
On March 3, voters will only be able to cast their ballot at their assigned neighborhood polling location. That's because the county's Republican Party has decided it no longer wants to offer countywide polling locations on primary Election Day, and under current state law, the county's Democratic Party has no choice but to follow Republicans' lead.
Voters can find their assigned neighborhood polling location by going to the Williamson County elections department website. There is a full list of Democratic Party voting locations and Republican Party voting locations.
Voters will need to know which precinct they reside in to find their assigned neighborhood polling location. They can find this information by entering their name and date of birth, or voter ID into Williamson County's voter and sample ballot lookup app.
On Election Day, polling locations will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as voters are in line by 7 p.m., they will be able to cast a ballot.
What do I bring with me to the polls?
Make sure to bring a photo ID. The ID should be up to date or can be expired up to four years. Voters 70 or older can bring a photo ID that has been expired for any length of time. Here are the accepted forms of ID:
- Texas driver's license
- Texas election identification certificate
- Texas personal identification card
- Texas handgun license
- U.S. military identification card that includes the person's photograph
- U.S. citizenship certificate that includes the person's photograph
- U.S. passport
If you had trouble getting an ID and don’t have one, here are some alternatives:
- government document showing your name and an address, such as your voter registration certificate
- current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check
- paycheck
- birth certificate or court admissible birth document
All of these documents can be either a copy or the original. If you use one of these, you’ll have to sign a form that says you had a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.
What should I not bring to the polls?
Voters should not bring with them any recording or photography equipment including cellphones, handheld cameras, or digital phones. Any recording of the area where voting happens is not allowed. Any notes should be written or printed out on paper.
Voters should also remember to not wear any clothing that supports any party, candidate, or proposition, even if they're not on the ballot.
What if I want to vote by mail?
Not everyone is eligible to vote by mail. You have to apply, and the deadline is Friday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m.
Registered voters in Texas can vote by mail if they:
- will be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting;
- are sick or disabled;
- are 65 or older on Election Day;
- are confined in jail, but eligible to vote; or
- are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
An application to vote by mail in Williamson County is available here. You have to apply every election for a mail-in ballot, even if you did it last year.
Once you get your mail-in ballot, there are some extra deadlines you should keep in mind to make sure your ballot is received on time:
- Postmarked: March 3 by 7 p.m.
- Post received: March 4 by 5 p.m.
- In-person received: March 3 by 7 p.m.
- Post received from military members or voters overseas: March 9
You can only hand deliver a mail-in ballot to the county elections office on Election Day, and you will need to show a photo ID. A friend or relative is not allowed to turn your ballot in for you.
Recent changes at the U.S. Postal Office might affect when your mail is postmarked. There may be delays from when the mail is dropped off to when it's processed due to changes in USPS operations.
Remember, your ballot must be postmarked by March 3. If you are concerned about missing that deadline, you can ask for a "manual postmark" at the post office.
You can track the status of your mail-in ballot using the Texas Secretary of State’s ballot tracker.