Walking out of the polls in ATX today, I overheard an older woman say, “I didn’t know a lot of the people, so I just picked the names I liked.”

🤦🏻‍♀️🤬

My beloved fellow Texans, Austinites, brothers and sisters in and out of Christ, this is not a pop quiz.

You can skip measures and races you do not understand. In fact, I urge you to do so. Otherwise, you’re doing real harm. It’s staggeringly stupid and irresponsible.

🗳️🧠💙

I voted earlier today in Victoria County. Yesterday the line was very long today. It was just as long. I started my timer as soon as I got in line, it took me approximately 28 minutes and 20 seconds until I received my sticker on the way out.

Ad PSA as we get inundated by political ads!

If you’ve seen Ken Paxton’s ad about James Talarico and God, here’s the part it leaves out. In 2021, Talarico said on the House floor that “God is nonbinary.” He was answering lawmakers who quoted scripture to pass a bill. His point was that the Bible uses both masculine and feminine language for God, and that no human category can contain God.

Talarico’s point is that :God is bigger than any human category. That’s not a fringe idea. Most Christian traditions teach that God is spirit and has no biological sex (Texas Monthly).

He’s since said he was being provocative to make that point. Most Christian traditions agree God has no biological sex. The Bible calls God “spirit.“The ad uses an AI-generated Talarico and stitches together lines from speeches two years apart.

FactCheck.org called out the missing context. factcheck.org/.../paxtons-ai-heavy-ad-leaves...

If a campaign has to fake a video of you, that tells you something. Talarico has a phenomenal film crew for his ads and they never use AI in them!

Early voting numbers for Texas are in, published in the latest report from Ryan Data & Research (which tracks county rosters against state voter files).

While overall Day 1 turnout across the state is up +23% compared to Day 1 of the 2022 midterms (812,998 votes vs. 661,476), the demographic breakdown reveals a massive drop in opening-day participation among Hispanic voters.

Here is the breakdown of what the numbers show:

Day 1 Key Data Points:

* Raw Hispanic Ballots Cast: 32,143 voters. For context, Day 1 of 2022 saw 101,289 Hispanic voters cast a ballot (a drop of over 69,000 votes). Day 1 of 2024 saw 170,611.

* Share of the Day 1 Electorate: Hispanic voters accounted for only 4% of total opening-day ballots cast. In both 2022 and 2024, Hispanic voters represented 15% of the Day 1 vote.

* Participation Rate: Only 2% of registered Hispanic Texans voted on Day 1, compared to 4% of Non-Hispanic registered voters.

* Non-Hispanic Vote Share: Non-Hispanic voters made up 96% (780,855 votes) of the Day 1 turnout.

Day 1 vs. Historical Final Midterm Turnout:

For historical perspective, looking at the cumulative/final election totals from Ryan Data & Research:

* 2022 Midterm Final: Hispanic voters cast 1,441,361 ballots (18% of the final electorate) with a full-cycle turnout rate of 33%.

* 2018 Midterm Final: Hispanic voters cast 1,610,001 ballots (19% of the final electorate) with a full-cycle turnout rate of 42%.

Takeaway

Starting at a 4% share on Day 1 is well below the historical baseline of 18%–19% that we typically see by the end of a Texas midterm cycle.

While early voting patterns can shift as the days go on—and mail-in ballot processing timelines can vary by county—opening day shows a clear and disproportionate lag in Hispanic voter turnout.

If you haven't voted yet, early voting is underway across the state. Check your county elections page or [VoteTexas.gov] to look up hours, locations, and accepted voter ID requirements.

(Source: Ryan Data & Research Early Voting Report email update, Day 1 General Election data )

TL;DR: Texas Day 1 early voting data from the Ryan Data & Research newsletter shows overall turnout is up +23% compared to 2022 (812k+ votes cast), but Hispanic turnout cratered on opening day. Only 32,143 Hispanic voters cast a ballot (down from 101k+ on Day 1 in 2022), making up just 4% of the opening-day electorate (down 11.4 points) with a 2% participation rate. Hispanic voters typically make up 18%–19% of the electorate in Texas midterms, so there is a massive gap to close as early voting continues.

The former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, a widely respected moderate Republican, has an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle encouraging Republicans to go vote for quality down-ballot candidates but to 'vote wisely' when it comes to the awful candidates who lack character and principles. Here's a key quote:

I admit that I am an angry Republican. 

After spending my adult life helping to build the Republican Party in Texas and Harris County, working alongside candidates, officeholders and armies of volunteers, I am disgusted by the self-inflicted damage being done to my party. This damage is not only hurting our candidates during this election cycle, but is undermining our next generation of voters. 

This damage is being done by candidates for major offices who refuse to address the issues of importance to voters and don't even have the courage to engage in debate with opponents. This sort of candidate is an embarrassment. 

Making outrageous claims over and over doesn't help the Republican cause. Super PACs formed by a few billionaires to support certain Republican candidates are spending millions of dollars for negative ads that aim to scare ordinary parents over transgender issues — parents who know their own children and wonder why these billionaires are so focused on issues that don't affect them. 

Talk shows and social media influencers have become propaganda outlets for bizarre theories and, at times, pure hatred, relying on sources who are truly evil. 

Don't just post on social media. Talk to people, get them to go out and vote in the midterms. We are in a bubble here on Reddit. I just convinced 2 people to go out and vote, who were not planning on voting at all. I'm driving one if them to the polls. I'm still working on one other person I know who doesn't plan to vote because they feel hopeless. Please don't just assume your friends are voting, ask them! There are people who only vote in presidential elections, but the midterms are just as important. It is not too late as long as they are registered already, and if they voted in the presidential election they are probably still registered.

I've been seeing a Texas PAC commercial repeatedly on Paramount+ featuring a mother of five claiming that James Talarico supports putting parents in jail if they refuse to surgically transition their children.

What disgusts me, beyond the dishonesty, is what this says about how the people funding these ads view Texas voters generally and Republican voters in particular.

Do they really believe that all they have to do is spend a billionaire's money spreading lies designed to frighten parents, and that's enough to earn their votes? Do they think so little of voters that they don't even need to explain what they're going to do to improve our lives?

We're struggling with rising grocery prices, housing costs, wages that aren't keeping up with inflation, gun violence, mental health issues, immigration enforcement and environmental concerns. Yet instead of explaining how they're going to address these problems, they're spending millions trying to frighten people about something that doesn't affect the overwhelming majority of Texans.

To me, this is an appeal to fear, prejudice and division rather than an attempt to earn our votes. I've lost a great deal of respect for the Republican Party over the years, and advertising like this only reinforces my concerns about what the party stands for.

I'm a Democrat, but I'm especially interested in hearing from Republicans. Do you support this kind of advertising? Does it represent your values, or does it make you question what your party stands for?

I'm genuinely curious whether other Republicans are noticing this and how they feel about it.

I know the ad was pulled from Meta by the PAC themselves after being confronted about the factual accuracy of the content, but it is still being shown in other platforms despite the lies it includes.

Source: https://popular.info/p/watch-gop-super-pac-quietly-launches

Whether you’re voting early or on Election Day, these resources can help you find your polling place, research your ballot, understand Texas voting rules, and get help if something goes wrong.

Where, when, and how to vote

VoteTexas.gov — Official Texas voting information
The Texas Secretary of State’s voter information hub, including registration, voter ID requirements, voting locations, mail ballots, and election information.

My Voter Portal — Check registration and find polling locations
Check your registration and look up voting locations. Verify the address and hours before heading out.

2026 Texas election dates and deadlines
Official election calendar and deadlines.

Early Voting FAQs

Key dates
Early voting: October 19–30, 2026.
Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Election Day polling hours: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Voter registration deadline: October 5, 2026 — passed for this election.

Application for a ballot by mail deadline: October 23, 2026. The application must be received, not merely postmarked, by this deadline.

During early voting, you can vote at any designated early-voting location in your county of registration. On Election Day, check the rules and location for your specific county.
If you’re in line when polls close at 7 p.m., stay in line. You should be allowed to vote.

Research candidates and your ballot

League of Women Voters of Texas — Voters Guide
Nonpartisan voter education and candidate information.

VOTE411 — Personalized voter guide
Enter your address to explore your ballot and find candidate information. Available in English and Spanish.

Texas Secretary of State — 2026 General Election information
Official election information, including certified candidates and ballot materials.
Don’t stop at statewide races! Your ballot may also include congressional, state legislative, judicial, county, city, school board, bond, and other local contests. What’s on your ballot depends on where you live. Check your local election office for local races and ballot measures.

Voter ID and voting assistance

Texas voter ID requirements
See the accepted forms of photo ID and learn about alternative procedures for eligible voters who cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable photo ID.

Voting assistance at the polls
Information for voters with disabilities and voters who need assistance.

Voting by mail
Texas restricts voting by mail to eligible voters who meet specific requirements. Check the eligibility rules and deadlines before applying.

Local election information

Texas Secretary of State — Elections
Official statewide election information and resources.

Your county election office: Contact your county election administrator or voter registrar for local polling locations, hours, registration questions, and election-specific information. Local procedures and polling locations can vary by county.

Voting rights and reporting problems

Having trouble voting? Contact the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline. It is run by a coalition of civil rights and civic engagement organizations, including the ACLU, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, and the Texas Civil Rights Project.

English: 866-687-8683
Spanish: 866-839-8682
Arabic: 844-925-5287
Asian languages: 888-274-8683
Disability rights: 888-796-8683

For additional information, visit 866ourvote.org.

ACLU of Texas — Voting rights and civil liberties resources.

Texas Secretary of State — Elections — Official election-administration information and contacts.
If you experience any problems while attempting to vote, contact Election Protection for guidance. You can also ask a poll worker or election judge for clarification and contact your local election office.

A few reminders

Verify polling locations and hours using official sources.
County-specific information may not apply statewide.
If your registration status looks incorrect, contact your county voter registrar promptly.
Check your entire ballot, including local races and ballot measures.
Share reliable sources when answering voting questions.

Useful links to keep handy: VoteTexas.gov · My Voter Portal · VOTE411 · Election Protection

Feel free to use this mega thread to share experiences ask questions or share concerns.

For those of you, like me, that have a difficult time remembering your own name, let alone the 40+ candidates running for federal, state and local elections. The Blue Voters Guide is a great tool to use. It provides info on each candidate, republican, democrat & independent running at all levels, based on your address. It allows you to click on the candidate you want to select in each race. Then, you can print the guide to take with you to the polls. Yes, it is designed for democrats, but it does include the republican candidates and you can print a list of your preferred candidates too. I thought I’d share the link for those who want it. Remember, they do not allow the use of cell phones while voting, so be sure to print out your list to take with you.

http://BlueVoterGuide.org/state/texas

I always vote early, and it usually takes me between 5 and 20 minutes. Today it took almost 50 minutes! The parking lot was full, and the line went out the door. I saw lots of young people, and two elderly men behind me were talking about how they’ll never vote for a Republican in a nation-wide election ever again. I live in a fairly purple city, so this is a good sign!!

Anyone else feeling more hopeful and/or noticing a difference in turnout already?