Thousands of voters turned out for the Texas Primary Election on Super Tuesday. According to the Texas Tribune, “more than 4.2 million Texans turned out to vote in the Republican and Democratic primary presidential elections, about 30 percent of registered voters.” We know that many of our members and their fellow retirees were a part of this dedicated group of people!
Many elections in Texas, particularly for seats in the Texas Senate and House, are decided during the Primary Election and not during the November General Election. A complete list of results from the March primary election can be found here.
While many races now have narrowed down the list of candidates for the Republican and Democratic seats to one contender, there are several runoff elections that our members should keep an eye on.
Be sure to mark your calendars and make a plan to get out and vote! Even fewer voters participate in a runoff election than in a primary election! That means even one vote — your vote! — can change the outcome of an election.
The Primary Runoff Elections will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. Early voting will begin on Monday, May 16, 2016 and continue through Friday, May 20. Details about mail-in ballots and voter registration can be found here.
While it is common for voters to skip the Primary Runoff Election, TRTA wants our members to know that YOUR VOTE MATTERS! If you live in an area where there will be a Primary Runoff, get early voting on your schedule NOW! Please make voting a top priority this month!
Runoff Elections to Watch
TRTA will be following several races closely as the runoffs draw near.
Texas Senate Primary Runoff Races
Senate District 1
Senator Kevin Eltife is retiring. Republican candidates facing each other in the primary runoff are: Bryan Hughes and David Simpson. There are no Democratic candidates vying for this seat.
Senate District 24
Senator Troy Fraser is retiring. Republican candidates facing each other in the primary runoff are: Dawn Buckingham and Susan King. Democratic candidate Virginia Leeder won the Democratic primary.
Texas House Primary Runoff Races
House District 5
Representative Bryan Hughes has stepped down to run for the Texas Senate. The following Republican candidates will face each other in the primary runoff election: Cole Hefner and Jay Misenheimer. There are no Democratic candidates vying for this seat.
House District 18
Representative John Otto is retiring. The following Republican candidates will face each other in the primary runoff election: Ernest Bailes and Keith Strahan. There are no Democratic candidates vying for this seat.
House District 54
Representative Jimmie Don Aycock is retiring. The following Republican candidates face each other in the primary runoff election: Austin Ruiz and Scott Cosper. Sandra Blankenship won the Democratic primary.
House District 73
Representative Doug Miller faces challenger Kyle Biedermann in the Republican primary runoff. There are no Democratic candidates vying for this seat.
House District 128
Representative Wayne Smith faces challenger Briscoe Cain in the Republican primary runoff. There are no Democratic candidates vying for this seat.
Thank You
Thank you for being a member of TRTA! If you are not a member and are interested in joining, please contact our Membership Department at 1.800.880.1650.
Protecting your retirement benefits is one of TRTA’s top priorities, and your participation makes all the difference! Be sure to stay tuned to our other digital mediums to stay informed on all the latest news and updates. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel.