Texas Primary Election March 5: Voter's guide, what's on your ballot

TEXAS - It's an election year for the United States, which means Texas, along with other states, will be holding primary elections to determine the General Election ballot for Nov. 5.

Texas will have its Primary Election on March 5 in which voters choose the candidates to be nominated in the general election. The last day to register to vote was Feb. 5 and the last day to submit mail-in ballot requests will be Feb. 23.

Voters in Harris County will have the chance to select their party nominations for the president, U.S. Senator, Texas Railroad Commissioner, and other various state and local offices. You can only vote for those running in your preferred party, Democrat or Republican.

Ted Cruz is seeking reelection in 2024 for his seat in the Senate. Senator John Cornyn will hold his seat this election cycle until 2026.

"Super Tuesday" voting for the March 5 Primary Election will be on March 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Am I registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status on the Texas Secretary of State website, here.

To check your voter registration status, you will need to provide your date of birth and one of the following:

Your name and county
Your Voter Unique Identifier
Your Texas Driver’s License number

The website can also provide you with other helpful information like your polling locations and sample ballots.

To vote in this election, you must have registered by Feb. 5.

Polling locations by county: Where to vote

Registered voters have to vote in the county they reside in. Find your county's voting locations with the links below.

Who can vote in Texas?

You must be registered to vote in Texas. You are eligible to register to vote in Texas if the following apply to you:

You are a United States citizen
You are a resident of the county where you submit the application
You are at least 17 years and 10 months old, and you are 18 years of age on Election Day
You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole)
You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Eligibility for Voting by Mail in Texas:

To vote by mail in Texas, you must meet specific qualifications. You are eligible if you:

Are 65 Years or Older on Election Day: Individuals who are 65 years or older on Election Day are eligible to vote by mail.
Are Sick or Disabled: If you are sick or disabled, you qualify for mail-in voting.
Will Be Absent from Your County: If you will be away from your county during both the early voting period and on Election Day, you can vote by mail.
Expect to Give Birth: If you are expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day, you are eligible for mail-in voting.
Are Confined in Jail: Individuals confined in jail, but otherwise eligible to vote can also vote by mail.
Please note that to facilitate the mail-in voting process, you are now required to provide either your Texas ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

What's the deadline for completed mail ballots?

Completed mail ballots must be received by your early voting clerk by 7 p.m. on March 5 if the envelope is not postmarked. It can be received by 5 p.m. on March 6 if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at the location of the election on March 5.

You can track the status of your completed mail ballot by clicking here.

Voters can also hand-deliver their mail ballot on Election Day to the Early Voting Clerk's Office.

What if I don't have my Voters' Registration Card?

When voting in person, you can use one of the seven acceptable forms of photo identification if you are registered but haven't received your voter registration card.