Primary Election: Low Turnout, High Consequences

The Texas primary election, once again, had low voter turnout. Texas has nearly 18 million registered voters, yet just under 3.4 million (18.2%) showed up at the polls.

• Republican primary: 2,310,884 (12.9%)
• Democratic primary: 958,800 (5.3%)

This turnout problem is meaningful. In Texas, the March primary elections (where voters select their party nominees), are the real election of consequence. Most state and federal legislative districts are drawn so that one party or the other has an insurmountable advantage in November. And yet, 82% (more than four out of five) of voters chose to cede their power to the 18% who voted.

Elected officials write, sign, and interpret laws that determine the future of the state and how you do business. And real estate interests are always part of the conversation. This is why REALTOR® voter turnout is so important!

RPAC/TREPAC By the Numbers

On March 5, REALTOR®-supported candidates had a mixed bag of success – lots of great wins, some really disappointing losses, and a significant number of runoffs set for May 28. By the numbers, RPAC and TREPAC supported 88 candidates of both political parties, with 63 outright wins, 14 runoffs, and 11 losses. All three of those categories include some of our strongest allies. Be sure to check out texasrealtorssupport.com, where the full results from March 5 are posted and the primary runoff voter guide will be posted soon!

What To Do Now

You can vote for TREPAC- and RPAC-supported candidates in the primary runoff. If you voted in either of the primaries, you’re eligible to vote only in that party’s runoff on May 28. Depending on where in the state you are, there may or may not be any runoffs to vote in. Check your county’s website.

If you did not vote in the March primary, you can vote in either party’s primary runoff in May. The deadline to register to vote in the runoffs is Monday, April 29.

Source: Texas REALTORS®