A public service announcement for Texans

The Texas primaries are coming up on March 4. Early voting--when you can vote in any precinct, not just the one you are registered in--begins next Monday on Feb. 19 and ends on Feb. 29. This is especially useful for students and other folks who don't live too close to where they're originally registered (like me).

Unfortunately, the deadline to register to vote in the primaries is over. But if you're already a registered voter (here's where you can check your registration status), you're able to vote in one party's presidential primary this year. You don't have to be a registered member of the party in order to vote in that party's primary. Just be aware that if you vote in a party's primary you become affiliated with that party for the rest of the year, which means you can't vote in any other party's primary and you can't sign an independent candidate's petition to get put on the ballot. But, even if you vote in one party's primary, you're still free to vote for a different party's candidate when November's elections roll around. You aren't bound by your party affiliation in the actual election.

Here's a PDF showing all the primary polling locations in Houston, plus the schedule for voting. I hope everyone will find some time to vote in the March 4 primary!