More than 40 Texas elections will be decided in Tuesday’s primary runoff as turnout remains low statewide. Candidates in congressional and statewide races say a small group of voters could shape the outcome. NBC 5’s Phil Prazan has more.
More than 40 elections across Texas will be decided Tuesday, May 26, as voters head to the polls for primary runoff races.
Only 4% of registered voters across the state voted early from Monday through Friday, according to the report.
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The report said few people typically vote during runoff elections held after the Memorial Day holiday and during graduation season.
“Reliable Democratic voters, people who pay attention to Democratic politics in an acute way, know our record differentials,” U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, said.
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The report said low turnout may play a major role in a Dallas-based congressional district race, where Johnson is competing in a runoff. Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred said his campaign is focused on bringing out first-time and inconsistent voters.
“It’s always a challenge in runoffs. And I’ve been here before, and I know what that is about. But I also think there are a lot of people who are paying attention,” Allred said.
On the Republican side, statewide offices are also being decided in runoff elections.
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“Turnout is less in a runoff. It is only the most ultra-mega, right, ultra-conservative primary voters,” state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, said.
The report said Middleton and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy are facing each other for the state’s attorney general race.
The Republican runoff between incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also drawn attention ahead of Tuesday’s election.
“Typically, what happens is you have fewer people show up in the runoff, which is basically a recipe to let a handful of people determine who your elected officials are going to be,” Cornyn said.
The report said roughly 850,000 Republicans had voted so far, nearly half a million fewer than the 1.3 million who voted in March’s first round.
Polls across Texas will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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