Texas election 2024: Details about primary election in El Paso
Dec. 11 marked the deadline for candidates to file to run in next year's election and a broad slate of candidates across El Paso did just that.
Next year's election in El Paso will feature a number of high-profile races, including multiple seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and two spots on the El Paso County Commissioner's Court, as well as races for sheriff, county constable and multiple judgeships.
Most candidates will first have to survive the primaries in order to make it to next year's General Election in November, though a handful of seats are facing no opposition.
How to register to vote in Texas
To qualify to vote in Texas, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county where they submit the voter registration application and be at least 18 years old on Election Day.
The deadline to register to vote is 30 days before an election. For the March primary races, the last day to register is Feb. 5.
Applicants may register to vote in several ways:
In person: At the county voter registrar's office.
By mail: Pick up a registration application from the county registrar's office, public library or other government office, fill out the application and mail it to the voter registrar.
Online: Fill out a voter registration application through the Texas secretary of state's online portal, then print, sign and mail it to the county voter registrar.
Any registered voter can participate in either party's primary election, but voters can only take part in one primary per election cycle.
How to vote in Texas
Texas offers a couple ways to vote in elections. Here's how to do it.
In person: Voters can cast a ballot at their polling location and must present one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID. Voters may vote early from Feb. 20 to March 1 at any early polling location in their county. On Election Day, depending on the county, voters might have to cast a ballot at their specified precinct poll or at any polling location.
By mail: Voters may request a ballot by mail online at the secretary of state's website, by downloading the application or at their county's elections office. The first day to apply for a ballot by mail is Jan. 1. The last day to request a ballot by mail is Feb. 23.
When returning the completed mail-in ballot, voters must provide one of the following numbers on their ballot as well as on their ballot carrier envelope: Texas driver’s license, Texas Personal Identification Number or Election Identification Certificate Number issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The last day for the county elections office to receive the mail-in ballot is by 7 p.m. March 5, if the carrier ballot envelope isn't postmarked, and by 5 p.m. March 6 if the envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Acceptable forms of photo ID to vote in person in Texas
Texas Driver License
Texas Election Identification Certificate
Texas Personal Identification card
Texas Handgun License
U.S. Military identification card with the person’s photo
U.S. Citizenship Certificate with the person’s photo
U.S. Passport (book or card)
Anyone who lacks and cannot obtain one of these forms of ID may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration form at the polling location and present an alternate form of ID, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check or voter registration certificate.
When is the 2024 primary election?
Voters across Texas will take part in their party's primaries on Super Tuesday, March 5, along with 14 other states across the country.
Being a presidential year, voters across the 15 states — Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia — are expected to show up in force for the contest.
Those who survive the primaries will face off in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Republican primary candidates includes Bill Hicks, Irene Armendariz-Jackson
Republicans will appear on the El Paso primary ballot in seven contests, though many more will appear in national-level races like president and U.S. Senate.
Of the seven races Republicans have entered locally, five will face no primary challenger. One will face no opposition at all.
Following are the Republican candidates who will appear on the March primary ballot in El Paso:
Republican primary contested
U.S. representative, District 23
Tony Gonzalez (incumbent)
Frank Lopez
Victor Avila
Julie Clark
Brandon Herrera
State representative, District 74
Robert Garza
John McLeon
Republican primary uncontested
Bill Hicks, El Paso County district attorney
Irene Armendariz-Jackson, U.S. representative, District 16
Minerva Torres Shelton, El Paso County sheriff
Claudia Rodriguez, county commissioner, Precinct1
Osvaldo Carrasco Jr., county constable, Precinct 4
Democratic primary candidates includes Veronica Escobar, Cesar Blanco
El Paso has long been a Democrat stronghold and El Paso's primary ballot is evidence of that. Where Republicans have mounted bids in only seven races, Democrats will be vying for over 30 seats in the March primary.
Many will face no opposition.
Following are the Democratic candidates who will appear on the March primary ballot in El Paso:
Democratic primary contested
Congressional District 16
Veronica Escobar (incumbent)
Leeland White
Congressional District 23
Lee Bausiner
S. Limon
District attorney
Nancy Casas
Alma Trejo
James Montoya
County attorney
Christina Sanchez
Sergio Saldivar
County sheriff
Ryan Urrutia
Oscar Ugarte
Robert “Bobby” Flores
Raul Mendiola
Michael P. Gonzales
County tax assessor-collector
Ruben P. Gonzalez
Art Lujan Seelig
County commissioner, Precinct 1
Jackie Arroyo Butler
Pete Faraone
County commissioner, Precinct 3
Iliana Holguin (incumbent)
Virginia Rodriguez
State representative, District 77
Alexsandra Annello
Vincent M. Perez
Norma Chavez
Homer Reza
65th District Court
Omar Carmona
Selina Saenz
383rd District Court
Lyda Ness Garcia
Mike Herrera
388th District Court
Marlene Gonzalez
Joy Degenhart
County Criminal Court 1
Linda Noelle Estrada
Linda Susan Perez
Constable, Precinct 1
Frank Almada
Saul Gutierrez
Andrea “Andi” Baca
Tony San Roman
Constable, Precinct 2
Jeremiah Martin Haggerty
Danny Zamora
Constable, Precinct 3
Hector Bernal
Eileen Lopez
Constable, Precinct 4
Luis “Louie” Aguilar
Robert M. Lopez
Constable, Precinct 5
Manny Lopez
Rito Rubio
Constable, Precinct 6
Rafael Chavez III
Javier Garcia
Democratic primary uncontested
Cesar Blanco, state senator, District 29
Claudia Ordaz, state representative, District 79
Joe Moody, state representative, District 78
Mary Gonzalez, state representative, District 75
Eddie Morales, state representative, District 74
Bill Moody, 34th District Court
Annabel “Anna” Perez, 41st District Court
Paty Baca, 346th District Court
Patrick Garcia, 384th District Court
Samuel Medrano Jr., 409th District Court
Sergio Enriquez, 448th District Court
Lisa Soto, 8th Court of Appeals Place 2
Gina Palafox, 8th Court of Appeals Place 3
Maria Salas Mendoza, 8th Court of Appeals Chief Justice
Diane Navarette, Criminal District Court 1
Carlos Carrasco, County Criminal Court 3
Jessica Vasquez, County Criminal Court 4
Angie Sommers, Constable Precinct 7
Libertarian Ryan Woodcraft for County Commission
The March primary will also feature a Libertarian candidate.
Ryan Woodcraft will be running unopposed as a Libertarian in the Commissioners Court Precinct 1 race. He will face off against the Democrat and Republican primary winners in the November general election.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas primary 2024: How to register, vote in March 5 election
