How Do You Become A Registered Republican In Texas

To:

County Clerks/Election Administrators and County Chairs

From: Keith Ingram, Director of Elections
Keith Ingram's signature

Appointment: Feb 11, 2020 RE: Party Amalgamation Questions and Answers

This advisory provides answers to some commonly asked questions related to party affiliation, voting in the primary election, and candidacy in the primary elections. If you have additional questions related to affiliation, please contact the Secretary of State at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683).

All references are to the Texas Election Code (unless otherwise cited).

How does political party affiliation work in Texas?

In Texas, there are several chief ways for a voter to affiliate with a political party: by existence accustomed to vote in a party's master election, past taking the required adjuration at a party precinct convention, or by taking a party oath of affiliation generally (§§162.003, 162.006, 162.007). A voter'due south affiliation with a political party automatically expires at the finish of each calendar yr, which is Dec 31. (§162.010). A voter who has affiliated themselves with a party is ineligible to participate in the party affairs of another political party during the aforementioned agenda twelvemonth. (§§162.012, 162.013)

If a voter has non voted in a party primary or taken an oath of affiliation with a party this calendar twelvemonth, they take not yet affiliated with any party. If a voter has not even so affiliated with a party, they are able to vote in either party's main election. However, if a voter votes in the primary of one party, they will only be able to vote in that party's primary runoff election. (§§162.012, 162.013) After beingness affiliated with a party, a voter is not able to change or abolish their party affiliation until the end of the agenda year. (§162.010)

Do I take to annals or affiliate with a party before I vote in the main?

No. A registered voter is non required to pre-register or have whatever steps towards affiliating themselves with a party before voting in a party'south principal election. (§162.003) Additionally, when a person registers to vote in Texas, they do non register with whatsoever kind of political party affiliation.

Does a voter have to vote in the full general principal ballot in society to vote in a primary runoff ballot?

No. Section 11.001 of the Texas Election Code prescribes the specific qualifications necessary in order to vote in a Texas election. In that location is no requirement to accept previously voted in the general master election in guild to participate in the subsequent primary runoff election. Therefore, if a qualified voter did not vote in the general chief ballot, they are still eligible to vote in the primary runoff election.

If I take voted for one party in a prior agenda yr, practise I accept to vote in the same party'due south chief this year?

No. A voter's party amalgamation ends at the end of each calendar twelvemonth. Affiliation with a party in a prior twelvemonth does not touch what primary an unaffiliated voter can vote in this year. (§162.010)

How tin I change my political party affiliation?

After affiliating with a party by voting in a party'south chief or by taking an adjuration of affiliation with a political party, a voter cannot change their political party amalgamation during the agenda yr. (§162.010) Still, affiliation will automatically elapse at the end of the calendar year.

What if I signed a petition for a candidate for a identify on the chief ballot?

If a voter signed a candidate'south petition for a place on the primary ballot, that voter is just able to vote in the primary, or participate in the convention, of that candidate's political party during the voting twelvemonth in which the master election is held . For example, if a voter signed a Democratic candidate'south petition, that voter is ineligible to vote in the Republican principal or participate in a small political party convention. (§172.026)

If I signed a petition for a candidate for nomination in the Libertarian or Light-green Party, Can I still vote in a primary ballot?

No. If a voter signed a candidate's petition for nomination for the Libertarian or Dark-green Party, that voter is ineligible to vote in a primary election or participate in the convention of a different political party during the voting yr in which the primary election is held. (§§172.026, 141.041)

If I am non going to be 18 in time for the primary or primary runoff, just will be 18 by the time of the general election, can I vote in the primary?

No. A voter must have an constructive date of registration on or before election 24-hour interval in gild to vote in that election. (§eleven.001). A registration is effective for purposes of early voting if information technology will exist effective on election 24-hour interval. (§13.143). In Texas, the earliest a voter tin can submit a voter registration application is when they are 17 years and 10 months old. (§13.001). Nonetheless, this awarding is not effective until a voter's 18th birthday. If a voter is not 18 on or earlier ballot twenty-four hours, their voter registration will not exist constructive prior to election day and they will not be able to vote in that election. However, a voter who turns 18 between primary election 24-hour interval, March 3, 2020, and chief runoff election mean solar day, May 26, 2020, tin register to vote and vote in the May 26, 2020 chief runoff election.

I voted in the primary election on March three, 2020. Why did they ask if I wanted a Republican or Democratic ballot?

The primary elections are 2 dissever elections that occur on the same 24-hour interval. The elections are the method for both the Republican and Democratic parties to select their nominees for the general election in Nov. When a voter votes in a primary election or main runoff election, they are affiliating with the political party whose primary they are voting in. (§162.003). A voter who is affiliated with a political party is ineligible to become affiliated with another party during the same voting yr. (§162.012). This means a voter cannot vote in both principal elections, or the primary election of one party and the runoff election of some other party. Some counties will have joint primaries and/or the parties will share polling places. In a county where the Republican and Autonomous parties are sharing polling places, the voter must place the primary in which they would similar to vote, in order to ensure they receive the right ballot and are marked as voting in the right principal ballot.

Is the fact that I voted in a master ballot confidential?

No. The offices and candidates that you voted for are confidential and secret, just the fact that you voted in a particular party'south primary is public data and your name will be listed in that political party'southward early on voting rosters.

Why did I accept to indicate party preference on my Application for a Election by Postal service (ABBM)?

Because a voter cannot participate in both parties' primary elections, a voter must indicate, when voting past mail, their party preference to ensure they receive the right election style.

Does requesting a ballot past mail affiliate me with that party?

Non immediately. A voter does non go affiliated with a particular party until the early on voting clerk receives their voted master ballot. (§162.003) If a voter requests a certain principal election but does non return a voted ballot for that primary election, they will not be affiliated with a political party (unless they take other steps to affiliate with a party).

Note NEW Law: HB 2640 (86th Legislature, 2019) amended Section 162.003 to provide that, for purposes of ballots past mail service, a voter does not affiliate with a party until they return a voted ballot. Previously, a person became affiliated merely past requesting a certain party's election by mail.

Can I vote in i party's main election and another party's primary runoff ballot?

No. By voting in a political party'south primary election, a voter has affiliated themselves with that party and is ineligible to participate in the convention or primary runoff election of some other party during that agenda year. (§§162.012, 162.013)

If I vote in a party's primary, am I required to vote for that political party's candidates in the November three, 2020 general ballot?

No. A voter who votes in the chief is not required to vote for a particular political party's candidates in the succeeding general election.

What if I consider myself an contained, but wish to vote in a primary election?

The deed of voting in a primary election affiliates a voter with a political party. (§162.003). However, if a voter has not otherwise affiliated themselves with a political party, they are able to vote in the primary of either party.

Candidacy Affiliation Questions

I was a candidate in the primary ballot and I lost my race. Tin can I run as an independent candidate in November?

Probably not. A person that was a candidate for nomination in a primary election is ineligible for a identify on the ballot for the next general election for state and county officers every bit an independent candidate for any function for which a candidate was nominated in the primary. (§162.015(a)).

I was a candidate in the primary election and I lost my race. Can I run equally a write-in candidate in November?

A person that was a candidate for nomination for the primary ballot cannot run as a write-in candidate for the aforementioned office in the general election in Nov. All the same, the candidate could run equally a write-in candidate for a different part. (§ 162.015(b)).