It's Election Day: 10 things you can expect at the polls today

THE WOODLANDS, TX – It’s the day of the Texas Primary Elections, where the top candidates from each party in contested races will be chosen to square off one-to-one in the November General Election.

In Montgomery County, no Democrats are running for any partisan County-level offices, so whoever wins the Primary today (or runoff election next month if necessary) will pretty much by default win the General. Naturally, votes cast today are for municipal, county, state, and federal positions.

Here are ten useful pieces of information concerning what you can expect at the polls, as well as some dos and don’ts:

1. Polls are open until 7:00 p.m. this evening. This doesn’t mean you’re left out in the cold if the clock chimes seven and you’re still in line. As long as you are inside or lined up outside your polling location, the ballot boxes will remain accessible until all votes are cast.
2. Unlike early voting, today you must go to your assigned precinct polling station. A full list of locations is available at https://elections.mctx.org/EDPolls.asp. If you are unsure of your precinct – or don’t know if you’re registered to vote today – visit https://elections.mctx.org/vrlookup.asp. Many voting stations are located in schools, which is why many of them will be closed today; be aware of children playing in neighborhoods today when they would ordinarily be in classes as you drive.
3. When you arrive at your polling station, neither your clothing nor anything attached to either it or you that is political in any way is allowed. If you have a t-shirt endorsing a candidate, for instance, you will need to change it or completely cover it up; if you have a political pin or button on your jacket, it will have to be removed. Hats and caps are included in this.
4. While election law dictates that all electronic devices must be off while inside the polling station, you are allowed to take any printed material in with you, even if it is campaign material given to you outside by a candidate or Political Action Committee. Likewise, you’re not allowed to campaign inside the parameters of the station, which means you can’t even say aloud something innocuous like, “I’m voting for this person because they’re the best.”
5. You will need to show state-issued or official identification such as a driver’s license in order to receive a ballot. Your voter registration card alone won’t do it. The address on your ID must match your current residence and precinct of where you’re voting.
6. Election law standards are inflexible, and any official polling location official has the final say in a dispute on the spot. If you argue with any of them concerning one of the aforementioned rules and regulations, rest assured you’ll lose.
7. Texas has some particular election laws and protocols. In the Lone Star State, electronic ballots are backed up by hard-copy printouts that are secured by you in a lockbox. There is no such thing as registering with a political party in Texas, so you can vote in either primary; additionally, there is no longer the option to ‘straight ticket vote’ with a single click.
8. A majority of the races are uncontested, whether from the opposition party in November or within the incumbent’s own party, making tonight a cakewalk for many. However, some races – in particular the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office – have three or more candidates within the party. If any candidate in these races fails to garner at least 50.1 percent of the vote, the top two vote-receivers will face off in a runoff election most likely held in April.
9. On your ballot, you will find candidates and legislative measures or propositions. Remember that you can vote for all, some, or none of these on your ballot. If you are unsure of your vote, leave it blank. At the end of your session, the system will allow you to make changes and additions.
10. Stay tuned to Woodlands Online throughout the evening and night as results come in.