According to the Texas Secretary of State, Texas currently has 15,962,988 registered voters and a voting age population of 21,596,071 for an estimated registered voter percentage of 73.92 percent.

Eligible voters in Texas must meet these qualifications:

• U.S. citizen
• Resident of the county where voter registration application was submitted
• 18 years old on Election Day
• Not a convicted felon
• Not declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote

Valid photo ID is also required unless a voter receives a permanent or temporary exemption based on a disability, consistent religious objection to being photographed, or due to complications from a natural disaster. The following forms of photo ID are accepted:

• Texas driver’s license
• Texas Election Identification Certificate
• Texas personal identification card
• Texas license to carry a handgun
• U.S. military identification card showing photo
• U.S. citizenship certificate showing photo
• U.S. passport

Early voting is allowed at any polling location in a voter’s county of residence. Texas also allows for voting by mail under certain circumstances.

Unlike some states that have a closed primary, where only registered Democrats or Republicans can vote in that party’s primary, Texas has an open primary. An open primary allows any voter to participate in a Democratic or Republican primary. In other words, Texas does not require voters to register by political party. Therefore, a voter is considered a Democrat or Republican by voting in the respective primary.

While registered voters may vote in either political party’s primary, a voter may vote in only one party’s primary in each election cycle. If a voter votes in one party’s primary, the voter may not vote in the other party’s run-off election in that same year. Registered voters who do not vote in the primary election may vote in a run-off election of either party that year.

Run-off elections are held for each primary race where a candidate doesn’t receive a majority of votes. In 2020, the primary runoff election is May 26, and early voting runs from May 18 – 22.