Texans: It’s Super Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know if you’re heading to the polls
It’s finally time for the political ads, phone calls and TV commercials to end.
Now that it’s Super Tuesday, Texans join voters from 13 states to weigh in on the presidential race and contests up and down the primary ballot.
Votes cast before the end of the day could propel some Democratic presidential hopefuls forward.
“Candidates are paying attention to our voters,” said Rebecca Deen, chair and associate professor at UT Arlington’s political science department. “Just look at the number of times they have visited the state.
“That gives our voters who vote in the Democratic contest an opportunity to weigh in on a crowded field.”
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Several Democratic presidential candidates dropped out of the race in recent days — philanthropist Tom Steyer on Saturday, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg on Sunday, and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota on Monday. Reports said Buttigieg and Klobuchar were expected to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden during an event in Dallas on Monday night.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg have also campaigned across Texas in recent days.
This will be the first set of primary elections for Bloomberg, who jumped into the presidential race in November and focused on Super Tuesday states.
Already, more than 2 million Texans, including more than 138,000 Tarrant County, cast early ballots in person and by mail.
New voting machines
Tarrant voters may vote at any polling site in the county on Election Day.
Voters will use new voting equipment, Hart InterCivic’s Verity machines.
These machines have a touchscreen where voters can review the ballot, make choices and print a list of the votes cast. That piece of paper will then be placed in a scanner to formally submit the ballot and drop it into the ballot box.
County officials have warned there could be long lines to vote on Election Day.
Unlike early voting, on primary Election Day, a certain number of the machines are dedicated for each party at the request of the local parties, which which run the voting on Election Day.
If you find yourself in a long line, Tarrant Elections Administrator Heider Garcia suggests talking to the election judge there or calling the Tarrant Elections Office to see if nearby polling sites are less crowded. Maps should be posted at all polling sites showing the four nearest voting locations.
Voting do’s and don’ts
To help lessen any wait time, Garcia recommends voters review sample ballots and write their choices down on paper to take with them to the polls.
Also, voters should bring a current photo ID to the polls. There are seven state-approved photo IDs: Texas driver’s license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal identification card, Texas license to carry a handgun, U.S. military ID card with photo, U.S. citizenship certificate with photo and U.S. passport.
State election officials say anyone who doesn’t have one of those IDs can still vote after showing another form of ID and submitting a “reasonable impediment declaration.”
Voters can get free rides to and from the polls. Tarrant County officials agreed to spend as much as $20,000 to give voters rides on Trinity Metro’s fixed-route bus, ACCESS paratransit, Tarrant County Transportation Services, Northeast Transportation Services, Arlington’s Via and Handitran.
If you have any questions about voting, call the Tarrant County Elections Center at 817-831-8683.
