Texas voters cannot switch political parties in primary runoff elections

Voters can choose their party during primary, but they must stick with that party in runoff, according to election code

FILE - A vote here sign (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) (Matt Rourke, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Read more election coverage on the Vote 2024 page. KSAT.com will have live runoff election results on election day, May 28, beginning at 7 p.m. Early voting for the runoff begins Monday, May 20.

Not all of the races in the Texas Primary Elections were decided on March 5.

There are two Democratic and three Republican races on Bexar County ballots that will be determined during the May 28 runoff.

Find out where and how to vote in Bexar County in the Texas primary runoff elections here.

Because the state operates under open primaries, voters can choose which party’s primary they’d like to vote in. According to Texas election laws, however, voters must stick with the same party during the runoff.

“A person who is affiliated with a political party is ineligible to become affiliated with another political party during the same voting year,” the election code states.

If a voter does attempt to switch parties and cast a ballot in the runoff, that vote would be voided, according to the laws.

Voters who did not cast a ballot during the primary would be deemed unaffiliated with either political party. Because of that, they can choose to vote in either party’s runoff, even though they did not vote during the initial primary.

To vote, you must have been registered to vote by April 29. You can check your registration status here.

Early voting will take place for one week ahead of the runoff, from May 20 through May 24.

Important dates for the May 28 Runoff Primary Election:

  • April 29 Last day to register to vote
  • May 20 First day of early voting
  • May 17 Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked)
  • May 24 Last day of early voting
  • May 28 Last day to receive ballot by mail
  • May 28 Runoff Primary Election Day

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