{"id":141,"date":"2026-05-12T17:31:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T17:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/austinmovinginsider.com\/?p=141"},"modified":"2026-05-12T17:31:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T17:31:37","slug":"across-texas-early-voters-share-whats-pushing-them-to-the-polls-for-the-2026-party-primaries-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/austinmovinginsider.com\/?p=141","title":{"rendered":"Across Texas, early voters share what\u2019s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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During the first week of early voting, more than a million Texans cast early ballots for the March 3 party primaries. These pivotal elections will determine which Republicans and Democrats appear on the November ballot.<\/p>

Read more Iran\u2019s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed<\/a><\/p>

That number, based on data from the Texas Secretary of State, may seem small given that Texas has roughly 18.7 million registered voters. But participation in this primary is outpacing what the state saw at this point during the last midterm cycle \u2014 an early sign voters are engaged this year.<\/p>

That engagement has been evident at polling places across the state.<\/p>

On the first day of early voting, 81-year-old Catarino Garza voted in San Antonio.<\/p>

\u201cI’ve been voting Republican for about 28 years. I left the other party,\u201d Garza said. \u201cYes, sir. No regrets.\u201d<\/p>

Garza said he doesn\u2019t focus on just one contest and believes \u201call the races should be a concern\u201d for anyone living in the United States.<\/p>

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Maria Stevenson Greene is also of San Antonio and in her 80s. She said her family\u2019s history is what brings her to the polls each election.<\/p>

\u201cI come out for voting because my grandparents \u2014 my grandfather, a formerly enslaved man that migrated to San Antonio from Mississippi \u2014 they both had to pay a poll tax in order to vote in San Antonio,\u201d she said.<\/p>

For Greene, casting a ballot isn\u2019t just routine civic participation, it\u2019s honoring a legacy.<\/p>

In Houston, 58-year-old Tracy Wagner said she\u2019s voting while navigating difficult economic times.<\/p>

\u201cCurrently, unfortunately, I am unemployed from the IT industry. I’ve been looking for a job for like seven months now. So it’s been rough,\u201d Wagner said.<\/p>

Concerns about what she described as a \u201creally high\u201d unemployment rate \u2014 and the idea it may be \u201cracially motivated\u201d \u2014 weighed heavily on her vote.<\/p>

Read more Across Texas, early voters share what\u2019s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries<\/a><\/p>\n

Economic pressure is also top of mind for Randy Watson, 66, of Garland. Nearing retirement, Watson said rising prices, along with what he called \u201cridiculous\u201d housing costs, are hurting Texans.<\/p>

\u201cPeople need help,\u201d said Watson, who voted in the Democratic primary.<\/p>

This year, he is particularly focused on the governor\u2019s race and the U.S. Senate primary, and said he would support either Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett or state Rep. James Talarico in November.<\/p>

Attorney Grady Terrill in Lubbock said down-ballot judicial races were his priority when he voted in the Republican primary. He said he makes a point to vote \u201cevery time it comes up,\u201d arguing that too many people simply don\u2019t participate.<\/p>

Terrill\u2019s message to those elected this year is straightforward: \u201cGet it right.\u201d<\/p>

In Houston, 67-year-old Harold Augbon II voted in the Democratic primary and said that\u2019s how he plans to vote in November. He wants what he describes as \u201cMAGA\u201d politicians out of office. Augbon also supports term limits, saying some leaders are \u201cstuck in these old ways\u201d which aren\u2019t working.<\/p>

Jeff Lewis of Austin cast his ballot on the third day of early voting. He said his vote was influenced by opposition to Texas’ current leadership, adding he’d “stand anybody against Greg Abbott and that Ken Paxton regime.” <\/p>

In North Texas, Isaiah Garner voted early in Hurst on Friday morning. While he said he\u2019s voted in the Republican primary for the past four election cycles, Garner wants whoever wins to remember they represent everyone.<\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t forget the people, whether that person voted for you or not,\u201d Garner said. \u201cIf they live in Texas, you\u2019re their voice. It\u2019s not about being a Democrat or a Republican. After that vote is casted, it\u2019s about fighting for everyone.\u201d<\/p>

Texans may disagree sharply on candidates and policy, but those who\u2019ve cast their ballots in either primary so far share one important thing in common: They\u2019re showing up.<\/p>

Early voting runs through Friday, February 27 and Election Day is Tuesday, March 3.<\/p>

Additional reporting for this story was provided by Natalie Weber of Houston Public Media, KERA\u2019s Andy Lusk, Brad Burt of Texas Tech Public Media in Lubbock, Texas Public Radio\u2019s Kory Cook in San Antonio and The Texas Newsroom’s Rachel Osier Lindley. <\/i><\/p>

Read more A Texas lawmaker lost his seat over quorum-breaking, violence allegations. 155 years ago.<\/a><\/p>

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From Austin to Lubbock to Houston, we asked Texans what\u2019s motivating them to vote early in Texas\u2019 2026 party primaries \u2014 plus the biggest issues on their minds this election year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7,6,4,5],"class_list":["post-141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-elections","tag-kut","tag-news","tag-trending"],"yoast_head":"\nAcross Texas, early voters share what\u2019s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries - Austin Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/austinmovinginsider.com\/?p=141\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Across Texas, early voters share what\u2019s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries - 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