Texans Leave the Voting to a Small Minority
It doesn’t take very many people to win an election in Texas.
With redistricting fights pushing the primaries closer to summertime — and further from the possibility of giving the state’s Republican voters any say in who should be their presidential nominee — turnout could be even lower than normal.
“Normal” is a relative term when it comes to turnout in Texas elections.
Remember that big gubernatorial fight the Republicans had in 2010? Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison each spent more than $20 million on their campaigns. Debra Medina, a political newcomer appealing to fiscal conservatives and ...
Comments (13)
jimrtex
Non-citizens are not eligible to vote in Texas. Ross Ramsey errs in including them.
jimrtex
The term "split primary" is and was a misnomer. There are 10 statewide races, an SBOE race, and numerous judicial and county races. The legislature and congressional races were only 3 - and about 4/5 of them won't be contested in the primary.
There was no reason to "split" the other races. It was wishful thinking that districts could be drawn by February 1, and even then election administrators were telling them that an April 3 primary was not possible. 60 days was simply not enough time - let alone the problem with opening filing for only a day or two.
The Texas law implementing the MOVE act requires that for a special congressional race, that the runoff happen 70 to 77 days after the votes are canvassed. And that is for only a single-race election in a small part of the state, when the boundaries have not changed. The 45-day mailout for overseas ballots squeezes the ballot preparation into just a few weeks.
IF the districts had been ready by late February, they could have been added to the May 22 runoff, the only "splitting" would be for those very few congressional and legislative races that required a runoff.
Karen Hawkins via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm rather hoping the Dems will show up in droves to put Santorum on the ballot.
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Don't worry (?!), as Romney gets bloodied in MI, Icky will surely do well with GOP here in TX...
jimrtex
While it has been suggested that May 29 is the **earliest** possible date for a a thrice-delayed primary, it may very well be the **last** possible date for a thrice-delayed primary.
If May 29 is the primary, then the runoff could be done 70 days later, on August 7. The primary results have to be canvassed, possible recounts, and then runoff ballots prepared and sent overseas 45 days before the election. So 70 days between elections actually only allows 25 days.
After the runoff, independent candidates have 30 days to gather signatures, which would be until September 6. It might take election administrators a couple of weeks to validate the petitions, since they also have to check whether the signers had voted in a primary for that office. So that is September 20 before ballot preparation for the general election can begin.
70 days from September 20 is November 29, make that a Tuesday, or November 27, 3 weeks too late. Perhaps the 3 weeks can be squeezed out somewhere. But Texas even requires write-in candidates to file 78 days before the election, and congressional special election runoffs are 70 days **after** the results are canvassed. Write-ins only need a line on the ballot, and a list of names posted in each voting booth; and special elections have one race in a limited areas of the state. Presidential candidates can be named slightly later, but that does not require a ballot reformatting, but just insertion of whomever the parties decide to nominate.
Maybe, they could allow overseas ballots to be returned after the runoff, since independent petitioning will still be occurring, and the final canvass could be delayed. And maybe the same could be done for the general election.
But it is clear that May 29 is the absolutely last possible date for the primary.
Carol Jean O'Neil Goodwin via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Now that our primary may not be held until absolutely last....we really must get people registered and get them to vote...twice; once in the primary and then again in November! We need to take the bull by the horns, Texas!
Atech Homenet via Texas Tribune on Facebook
we should have computerized maps based on geology-topography-&-population. If a computer was to draw the lines in the form of a pie chart-sectioning up the districts according to population the maps would be way different and extremely fair. The problem is these are old battles with well defined arguments that won't ever be resolved because all the tools being used are corrupt. Start over-new approach with new technology and let's do this right
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You're almost there Atech, but the pols and their minions/paid hack advisors have computers/precinct/census data, and created the mess the SA judges have to shovel; would be nice for apolitical/apartisan approach, but you'd be on locoweed if you believe it would happen...
Rudy Gonzales
What is sad is the uninterested complacency of Texans when it comes to choosing those who would run the state and localities. Make no mistake, the Terrifying Errant Activist(TEA) party are alive and thriving in local and state politics. The have threatened John Boehner and in fact have a challenger in play in his district. The Tea Party has strongholds like Virginia, Florida and Texas and want to lull the population to sleep while they maneuver their people into power. They are the ones the Occupy Wall Street movement warned us against with concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people and the concentration of power in stricter, less compassionate hands. If you snooze, you lose! Everyone must get out and vote. Everyone must get out the vote. Everyone must get involved locally and take back your town, city, your state and your country. Take your cities, counties and state back from the confrontational fringe element which has corrupted everything they touch. They hide behind conservatism but are the "Point of the Spear" in their effort to do away with every social program benefitting the marginal and lower class people. Remember, Romney's comment: I'm not concerned about the very poor", created a firestorm. And romney's 13.% effective taxes on his $21.7 million in 2010, while every Jane and Joe pays 33% on his 60,000.00 paycheck. That is not kosher or right in most American's eyes! Your vote counts! Use it or lose it!
gypsy314 ne
Just what the democrats would like to see happen.
jimrtex
Since May 29 is the **only** possible date for the primary, what would a schedule look like.
A filing deadline of March 12 would give election officials 78 days before the election, 33 days before ballots have to be sent overseas. But there also has to be a period for extended filing, and challenges. And since election officials will also be adjusting election precincts and sending out voter certificates, they are going to need some extra time.
And let's say two week filing period, to give candidates a real chance to decide whether to run, which is necessary if voters are to have any sort of real choice. If the legislative and congressional races are going to be on the ballot., they have to be ordered before February 27. The USDOJ has said that an interim agreement between the plaintiffs and Texas will have to be precleared. So even if there is an agreement between, it will have to be the SA court that orders it to be used. So there is some real chance there will not be 3 maps. If that happens, the only apparent solution would to hold legislative or congressional elections as special elections in November with no primaries. BUT THE SA COURT MUST PERMIT ALL OTHER NOMINATING ACTIVITIES TO GO FORWARD. Otherwise, it will be impossible to have a general election in November.
The (major party) precinct conventions were originally scheduled for March 6. Under legislation passed last year, they can actually be held through the following Sunday (the 11th). The precinct conventions have absolutely nothing to do with nominations. Their only purpose under state law is to choose delegates to county conventions and to conduct party business. The precinct chairs are elected at the primary, but they do not take office until 20 days after the runoff. The current precinct chairs are temporary chairman of the precinct conventions until a permanent chairman is elected.
Parties may consolidate election precincts for their primaries. The parties consolidate different precincts from each other, and between the primary and the runoff. There should be no reason if stand-alone precinct conventions were held, that the parties should not be allowed to consolidate over a somewhat large area. If the Republicans wanted to hold a straw poll at the precinct conventions, it is their own business. The Democrats choose some national delegates on the basis of their own poll (in 2008, Clinton won the primary in Texas, but lost at the precinct conventions).
Voters affiliate with a party by voting in a primary or participating in a convention. If a voter participates in a convention of a party, they can't vote in a primary, or runoff of another party. It works just the same as if they tried to switch parties between the primary and the runoff. Ordinarily, records of participation are held by the county chairs, but it may be necessary to require filing these with county election officials to prevent cross-over voting.
So it should be possible for the Democrats and Republicans to hold their precinct conventions under the schedule in state law, it just would be without a primary. Though the two events are traditionally on the same day, they really are independent events.
County (and senatorial district conventions) are held on the 3rd Saturday after the 1st Tuesday in March (March 24, 2012). Senatorial district conventions, are actually partial-county conventions for (typically) larger counties that are split among senate districts. A party may choose whether or not to use senatorial district conventions, and may exercise this option on a county basis. County conventions conduct party business and elect delegates to the state convention.
The state conventions can go ahead as scheduled in June.
Smaller parties actually do nominate at their conventions. Under state law, precinct conventions are held on the 2nd Tuesday in March (March 13). Like for the major parties, precinct conventions may be consolidated. They also do not make any nominations.
On the day after their conventions, supplementary petitions may begin being circulated for new parties to qualify for the general election ballots. Qualification is based on the combination of attendance at precinct conventions and signatures on the supplementary petition. About 50,000 signatures need to be collected in the next 75 days. Voters who sign the petition may not vote in a primary, and vice versa.
On the following Saturday (March 17), county conventions and district conventions for districts within a single county are held. These actually do make nominations. Candidates are required to prefile, just as if they were running in a primary. Ordinarily, filing is much in advance of the conventions, but that is based on having time to prepare ballots for primaries. Since conventions don't need ballots, there should not be a problem with a March 12 filing deadline, and March 17 nominating convention. The county conventions also choose delegates to state conventions and multi-county district conventions.
On the following Saturday (March 24) district conventions for districts in multiple counties (eg most SBOE, congressional, and senate districts, many house districts) are held to make nominations for these offices. The state conventions are held on the 2nd Saturday in June, at which statewide nominations may be made.
Presidential nominations are made by national parties. Holding the conventions on schedule may increase the opportunity for Texans affiliated with minor parties to participate in the presidential nomination process. For example, the Libertarian Party national convention is in early May. While this is before the Texas state convention, the party could use its earlier conventions to choose delegates to the national convention.
If the district boundaries for legislative and congressional district boundaries are set by the end of THIS MONTH, then the minor parties will be able to make nominations by convention. If the districts are not ready, then elections will have to be held as special elections in November, in which no party makes nominations. It is possible that legislative districts will be ready, and congressional districts not, in which case those that are ready will have partisan nominations, and those that are not will have to be held by special election.
The primaries for the Democrats and Republicans would be held on May 29, with overseas ballots going out 45 days earlier, and early voting for two weeks. If there are legislative and congressional districts ready by the end of this month, they will be on the ballot. If not, there is no time for partisan nominations, and these elections will have to be held as special elections in November.
If there are any runoffs, they would be held 70 days later, on August 7, this gives time for canvasses, recounts, ballot preparation and sending ballots out 45 days before the election.
Independent candidates may not be begin collecting signatures until after the primary, and have until 30 days after the runoff. That would make the filing deadline September 6. If election officials need two weeks to validate signatures, and 70 days before the general election, then the general election would be on November 29. Election officials may be able to cut a week or two out of the ballot preparation, or perhaps a waiver could be obtained that would permit late return of overseas ballots.
Under current law, independent candidates have up to 107 days following the primary to collect signatures, including 30 days after the runoff. It is dubious that this period can be truncated this late into the election process (independent candidates must make their declaration of candidacy at the same time primary candidates do). If there were a truncated filing period, there would have to be a significant reduction in the number of signatures needed, probably far beyond a proportional decrease.
If the runoff were moved up two weeks to July 24, the deadline for independent petitions would be August 23, with two weeks for verification, the November general election could be held on November 6. This might still require a waiver to permit late return of overseas ballots.
It would also require a waiver for late return of overseas ballots for the runoff. An August 23 petition deadline would shorten the petition period by 21 days (almost 20%). This might be constitutional if the required number of signatures was cut by significantly more (perhaps 50%).
Independent presidential petitions may not be circulated until after the primary. The deadline is hardwired to a date in May. The deadline date would have to be reset. If the deadline were set to August 23, it would match the deadline for other offices, and would provide as much time for collection as is provided under state law. But considerable more signatures are needed (81,000 for a presidential candidate vs. 50,000 for senatorial candidates. The 81,000 signature may require more time to verify, so it might be reasonable to cut the signatures to the 25,000 suggested under a truncated petitioning period for other statewide offices.
Anya Khan
Dear Karen
Not only are you hostile, you sound immoral. Primaries are for those who belong to each party. To do otherwise lacks ethics and morality.
David Spratt
Nobody that makes $60,000 per year pays an effective rate of 33%. If you do not want that much held out then increase your dependants. By all means raise the capital gains tax to 40% , that way every "Jane and Joe" can pay the same rate Romney would pay on any investments they have. If they sold a home or some stocks then they could pay 40%, instead of the measly 15% they would pay now? . Romney must be one of those " Demons" Maxine Waters was talking about. Maybe she thinks he should have given 10 million to charity instead of the paltry 7 million over two years?