2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS

2022 Midterm Elections: Where to vote in Texas? When do your designated polls open and close?

Two days remain before election season comes to a close. What do you need to bring to vote in Texas... how to find polling location.

PAUL RATJEREUTERS

Voters in the Lone Star state are taking to the polls to determine who will be their next governor as well as fill other important positions up and down the ballot. Incumbent Governor Greg Abbott is seeking a third term and facing a strong challenge from former-Congressman Beto O’Rourke.

US midterm elections live online: Election Day | Latest news

With around 4.67 million votes cast, and about 16.1 million eligible voters, nearly 28.5 percent of the electorate has already voted.

PartyMail-in BallotsEarly VotesTotal
Democrats1,085,882671,2111,757,093
Republicans923,6041,154,5172,078,121
No Party516,213436,591952,804
Total2,525,6992,262,3194,788,018

Do I need to bring an ID to vote in Texas?

Yes. Under Texas law voters are required to bring a sanctioned form of identification with them when they go to vote.

The accepted forms of IDs include

  • Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
  • Texas election ID certificate
  • Texas personal ID card
  • Texas handgun license
  • US military ID with photo
  • US citizenship certificate with photograph (doesn’t need to be current)
  • US passport

For those who do not have any one of these IDs, you can still vote. The voter will sign a sworn statement that provides a reason why none of these IDs are available, and at the same time present, either a certified birth certificate, a valid voter registration certificate, or a current bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check or other document that has the voter’s full name and address.

How can I find my polling location in Texas?

Voters can identify their polling place by using a tool provided by the state.

State-level offices on the ballot this year

Governor

Recent polls, however, show Abbott with a wide eight-point lead. The current state of the race stands at around 51 percent for Abbott, with O’Rourke trailing at 43 percent, leaving some room for movement with more than six percent of voters still undecided.

With the state having been led by Abbott for eight years, O’Rourke has tried to call attention to the government’s failures to prevent mass shootings and has also called attention to the failures that led to the 2021 energy crisis where fifty-seven Texans lost their lives.

And, of course, many are still mourning the nineteen children and two teachers murdered at Robb Elementary School, and many remember the catastrophic failure of police to put an end to the violence quickly. State law enforcement even passed false information to the governor in the early hours of the investigation that placed blame on teachers at the school for leaving doors open and touting the bravery of first responders. Within the next few weeks, the public would see the cowardly and disorganized police response that allowed the gunman to stay in the classrooms with the children for over an hour.

Lieutenant Governor

The Lieutenant Governor is a sort of vice-governor who takes on certain responsibilities when it comes to the management of some state-level affairs. In Texas, most of the responsibilities of the Lieutenant Governor relate to their role in the state legislature, as they are allowed to establish committees and name leaders and members. Additionally, they settle parliamentary debates on questions related to procedure in the state Senate.

Candidates:

Attorney General

According to the Attorney General’s official website, the responsibilities of the office include “defending the State of Texas and its duly elected laws by providing legal representation to the State,” as well as ensuring child support laws are enforced and that the state does not waste or abuse their power or resources.

Candidates

Comptroller

This elected position deals with the state’s budget, overseeing government revenue and expenditure from the state legislature.

Candidates

State Board of Education (15 seats)

The Texas Board of Education is comprised of representatives from districts across the state and is tasked with overseeing educational standards and rules for schools.

DistrictRepublicanDemocratThird-Party
1Michael StevensMelissa OrtegaN/A
2LJ FrancisVictor PerezN/A
3Ken MorrowMarisa Perez-Diaz (Incumbent)N/A
4N/AStaci ChildsN/A
5Perla HopkinsRebecca Bell-Metereau (Incumbent)N/A
6Will Hickman (Incumbent)Michelle PalmerRebekah Plourde (Independent)
7Julie PickrenDaniel HochmanAlan Pyeatt (Libertarian Party)
8Audrey Young (Incumbent)N/ARhett Rosenquest Smith (Libertarian Party)
9Keven Ellis (Incumbent)N/AN/A
10Tom Maynard (Incumbent)N/AN/A
11Patricia Hardy (Incumbent)Luis SifuentesKathi Arocha (Independent)
12Pam Little (Incumbent)Alex CornwallisChristy Mowrey (Libertarian Party)
13Kathryn MonetteAicha Davis (Incumbent)N/A
14Evelyn Brooks (Republican Party)Tracy FisherN/A
15Aaron KinseyN/AN/A

Agriculture Commissioner

The Texas Agriculture Commissioner is responsible for promoting the sector to ensure that it remains competitive and has responsibilities related to consumer products and promoting healthy living.

Candidates:

  • Sid Miller (Incumbent) (Republican Party)
  • Susan Hays (Democratic Party)

Railroad Commissioner

The name of this position is a little misleading. While, in the past, the Railroad Commission did oversee the state’s train system, today, it controls Texas’ oil and gas sector. After the energy crisis in 2021, younger residents began to take note of this office, and this year Luke Warford is challenging incumbent Wayne Christian.

Candidates:

Public Lands Commissioner

Candidates:

  • Jay Kleberg (Democratic Party)
  • Dawn Buckingham (Republican Party)
  • Alfred Molison (Green Party)
  • Carrie Menger (Independent) (Write-in)


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