Register to vote in the primary election: The why and how

It is hard to miss the commentary and news articles about the candidates who are vying to become the next President of the United States. While the United States will elect its next president in the general election in November, the decision about who will be on the ballot to become president for each party will be decided by primary elections that occur in each state during the next several months.

The primary election for both political parties in Texas will take place Tuesday, March 1 and the deadline to register for the primary election is this coming Monday, February 1 (registration applications must be postmarked no later than February 1). The primary election will not only allow you to vote on who should be the presidential nominee for your preferred party, it will also give you the opportunity to vote on who should be the nominee in other races – Congress, State Judges, State Legislators, County Officials, City Officials, local elected officials, etc.

Primary elections are just as, if not more, important than voting in the general election. As health care providers and leaders, it is important for us to exercise our First Amendment right to participate in the political process to ensure our voices, and those of our patients, are heard. That starts by voting. Contrary to what most may think, our voices and our votes do matter. Texas Children’s employs more than 10,000 people and if every single one of us voted in all elections, we could change policy discussions and help make health care more of a priority.

Thank you for considering your constitutional right to vote. Make sure you are registered to vote by Monday, February 1 so that you can vote in the primary election on Tuesday, March 1!

Please find several links on how to register and frequently asked questions below. Stay tuned for further updates on voting and elections in the coming months!

Register to vote:
http://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/

Verify whether you are registered to vote:
https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/back2HomePage.do

Frequently Asked Questions:
http://www.votetexas.gov/faq/

For questions or assistance, feel free to contact Johnna Carlson, Texas Children’s Government Relations Liaison, at Ext. 8-1167. Also, for updates on Texas Children’s advocacy efforts and how you can get involved, follow our Government Relations team on Twitter at @TXChildrensGR.

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