Texas primary elections

By Patrick Brendel Friday, 04 December 2009

AUSTIN — In the March primaries, Texas voters will choose which candidates will represent their respective political party in the November general elections. The rules governing primary elections grew out of the state’s dominance by the Democratic Party until recent years.

Political parties are in charge of running their own primary elections. In Texas, primaries are open, meaning a voter can participate in either the Democratic, GOP or third-party primary election each year. Voters do not have to be registered members of a party to vote in that party’s primary, but voters cannot participate in more than one party’s primary each year.

The first time more voters participated in the Republican primary than the Democratic primary was 1986. The only other years GOP primary votes surpassed Democratic primary votes were 1996, 2000 and 2006.

Since 1990, Democratic primaries have drawn about 7.9 percent of Texas’ voting-age population, and GOP primaries have drawn about 5.7 percent. Over that same time span, general elections have drawn about 37 percent of the voting-age population.

Before the insurgence of the GOP, the Democratic primaries determined the overall winners, for the most part, as Republicans put up only token opposition in the general election.

In the 1800s, parties had free rein in choosing their nominees for office. The 1905 Terrell Election Law attempted to regulate the nominations process, establishing a mandatory statewide direct-primary system for all state, district and county elective offices, according to the “Handbook of Texas.”

Before 1960, the state’s primaries were held in July, with runoffs in August. To benefit the potential presidential candidacy of U.S. Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, state laws were altered to move the primaries to May, with runoffs in June, so that Johnson could be nominated for re-election to the U.S. Senate and also be on the ballot as a presidential candidate.

Beginning with the 1988 primaries, state lawmakers moved up the party elections to March, with runoffs in April, to conform with Super Tuesday primaries in other Southern states.

Summaries of constitutional amendments approved in Nov. 3 election

Proposition 1 — Allows cities and counties to issue bonds or notes to buy land to create buffer zones around military bases. (To take effect, state lawmakers would have to pass subsequent enabling legislation.)

Proposition 2 — Requires home appraisals to be based on the current value of the property, rather than the potential value of the property if it was to be used for a different purpose.

Proposition 3 — Gives the state authority to enforce uniform property appraisal standards and procedures. The Texas Legislature has not enacted enabling legislation.

Proposition 4 — Establishes the National Research University Fund to encourage the development of more Tier One universities. A total of seven schools would be eligible for funding.

Proposition 5 — Allows the consolidation of appraisal review boards across counties.

Proposition 6 — Renews the Veterans’ Land Board bond authority. Eliminates the current cap on total bonds the board can have outstanding at once. More than $2 billion in funding would become available.

Proposition 7 — Allows members of the Texas State Guard to hold civil office. It would take effect Jan. 10.

Proposition 8 — Authorizes the state to contribute resources to veterans’ hospitals. Similar legislation not contingent on this amendment took effect June 19.

Proposition 9 — Establishes a constitutional right to use and access public beaches. It would not change current practices but would put the Texas Open Beaches Act into the constitution.

Proposition 10 — Allows elected commissioners of emergency service districts to serve four-year terms instead of two.

Proposition 11 — Restricts the use of eminent domain to taking property for public purposes. The Legislature could grant power of eminent domain only with two-thirds approval in each chamber.

Important primary election dates

• Dec. 3-Jan. 4, 2010, Candidates file to be on ballot
• Jan. 1-Feb. 23, Mail-in ballot applications accepted
• Feb. 1, Last day to register to vote
• Feb. 16-26, Early voting period
• March 2, Primary Election Day