Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
State Rep. Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch appears to have narrowly avoided a runoff in the Democratic primary to replace U.S. Rep. Colin Allred in the 32nd Congressional District.
While she handily beat second-place finisher Brian Williams, a trauma surgeon, she had hovered near the threshold of being forced into a runoff against him as results came in late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Johnson claimed victory Wednesday.
“This win belongs to all of us, and together, we’re going to make history,” Johnson said on X. “Today, we celebrate.”
The North Texas district is considered safe for Democrats, so Johnson could be the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress from a Southern state if she prevails in November.
Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections
When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?
Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.
What’s on the ballot for the general election?
In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
-1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
– 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
– 15 State Senators
– 7 State Board of Education members
– 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
– 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
– 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals
Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
– Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
– County Courts at Law
– Justices of the Peace
– District Attorneys
– County Attorneys
– Sheriffs
– Constables
– Tax Assessor-Collectors
How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
You must be registered to vote in a Texas county by Oct. 7 to vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election. You can still register for other elections.
If you’re registered but didn’t update your address by the deadline, you may still be able to vote at your previous voting location or on a limited ballot. (Voters are typically assigned precincts based on where they live. In most major counties, voters can vote anywhere on Election Day, but some counties require you vote within your precinct. If that is the case, you may have to return to your previous precinct. See which counties allow countywide Election Day voting here. You can usually find your precinct listed on your voter registration certificate or on when checking your registration online.)
If you moved from one county to another, you may be able to vote on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both locations, such as statewide races. However, limited ballots are only available during early voting. Find your county election official here and contact them to ask about or request a limited ballot.
What can I do if I have questions about voting?
You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State’s helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition also has hotlines available for voters who speaker other languages or have accessibility needs.
For help in Spanish, call 888-VE-Y-VOTA or 888-839-8682.
For help in Asian languages, call 888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683.
For help in Arabic, call 888-YALLA-US or 888-925-5287.
For help in American Sign Language through a video, call 301-818-VOTE or 301-818-8683.
For help from Disability Rights Texas, call 888-796-VOTE or 888-796-8683.
Sponsored by
Allred, who first ran for Congress in 2018, is leaving his House seat to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz. Allred won the Democratic primary outright in that race Tuesday night.
Williams congratulated Johnson on X on Wednesday.
“I got into this race because I’ve had to pronounce too many victims dead on arrival due to gun violence and while this campaign is over, I look forward to continuing that work alongside the tireless friends and activists who were part of this team,” he wrote.
Williams and Johnson led the field of 10 Democrats in the primary with their fundraising efforts, each amassing about $1 million in political donations since their campaigns were registered at the beginning of last summer.
Williams and Johnson are ideologically aligned. They both rank health care a top priority and have touted their ability to work across the aisle.
Johnson, a trial lawyer in her third term in the state House, ousted hardline conservative incumbent Matt Rinaldi by 13 points in 2018. Rinaldi now chairs the state GOP.
As a Democrat in the Republican-dominated state Legislature, Johnson has played a lot of defense trying to kill bills she and other progressives deem harmful. Johnson, who is gay, said she and other members of the House’s LGBTQ+ caucus have had success in killing anti-LGBTQ bills by mastering the rules of procedure and “being better at the rules than the other side.”
She drew notable endorsements from Beto O’Rourke, Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin, EMILY’s List, Equality PAC and several labor unions.
While he may be new to the Texas political arena, Williams is no stranger to the halls of Congress.
Williams was a health policy adviser to Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut — who endorsed him — to help pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, the furthest reaching gun safety legislation in decades. The legislation, crafted in the aftermath of shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo New York, allocated millions of dollars to expand mental health resources, strengthens background checks and tightens the boyfriend loophole. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was a lead negotiator on the bill with Murphy, and Williams worked closely with Cornyn’s office.
Williams said his experience as a trauma surgeon — operating on victims of gun violence and women experiencing reproductive health emergencies — has fueled his priorities to fight for gun restrictions and increase access to abortions and other womens’ health care. Williams, who is Black, said his desire to limit racial disparities in health care will resonate with the district’s diverse constituency. The district has a 37% Hispanic or Latino population, 22% Black population and 8% Asian population.
Allred did not endorse in the Democratic primary race to succeed him.
We can’t wait to welcome you to downtown Austin Sept. 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas’ breakout politics and policy event as we dig into the 2024 elections, state and national politics, the state of democracy, and so much more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.
Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.
