April showers bring May flowers – and elections! You hopefully voted in March and surely know there is a big election coming in November. What you may not know is that there are two more important elections in the month of May. Your vote in both these elections might just make the difference in the future of public education.
On May 7th, Texas will hold Local and Constitutional Amendment Elections. School board trustees in many districts will be on these ballots. With the war on public education coming to the most local level of government, researching candidates and voting is more important than ever. School Board Trustees make important decisions that affect every student, educator, and community member. Every voter will also weigh in on 2 constitutional amendments in this election.
On May 24th, runoff elections will be held for races that didn’t have a clear winner (50% or more of the votes) in the March 1st primary. There are runoff elections for some statewide positions in both the Democratic and Republican primaries and many down ballot runoffs as well. If you voted in one of the party’s primaries, you can and should be sure to vote in that same party’s runoff. If you didn’t vote in the March primary, you can vote in either party’s runoff.
Turnout is often low in May elections, so every single vote counts even more! The deadline to register to vote in the May 7th election is April 7th. Make sure you will be ready to make your voice heard.
To Do:
1. Make sure you are registered to vote.
2. Look up what and who will be on your ballot.
3. Attend or watch candidate forums put on by the League of Women Voters or other organizations.
4. Mark your calendar for both elections:
May 7th – Local and Constitutional Amendment Election (Early voting – April 25-May 3)
May 24th– Republican and Democratic Primary Runoff Elections (Early voting – May 16-20)
Social media posts to share:
1. “May elections are around the corner. Make sure you are registered and plan to vote.” #Txed #Txlege #vote
2. School Board elections, and state runoff elections are very important. Learn about candidates and plan to vote in May elections!”#TxEd #TxLege #Vote
3. “The last day to register to vote in the May 7 election is April 7. Do it today!” #Txed #TxLege #Vote #TxEdVote
Happy Spring!
Laura Yeager
Texas Educators Vote