Most states have ended straight-ticket, or “one-punch,” voting, but Texas kept it going — as long as it helped the majority party. The state is getting rid of it starting in 2020.
Guides
Looking for information on how to prepare for a weather emergency? Or do you have questions about Texas politics? The Tribune offers several resources, such as explainers, guides, and articles to provide answers and equip Texans with the right context. You can browse our collection of articles to understand how Texas politics and policies affect you.
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Guides
Why is college in Texas getting so expensive?
Tuition and fees at Texas universities have more than doubled since 2003. There’s plenty of blame to go around.
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Guides
What does race have to do with the death penalty in Texas?
More than 72 percent of those on death row in Texas are people of color. Studies show race plays a role in the state’s harshest punishment.
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Guides
What ideas are Texas lawmakers exploring to keep schools safe?
The national debate came home to Texas again this year when a 17-year-old opened fire at Santa Fe High School, killing 10 and wounding several others.
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Guides
What’s the point of Texas’ rainy day fund?
Texas’ Economic Stabilization Fund holds more than $11 billion and is the largest in the country. There’s a lot of disagreement over how and when to spend the money.
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Guides
Dennis Bonnen isn’t Texas House speaker yet but he’s hiring people like he is. How does that work?
The Texas House is about to get a new speaker and more than two dozen new members. While they all have started transitioning into their new roles, they can’t do much until they are officially sworn in to their new positions next month.
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Guides
Here’s how to avoid problems with straight-ticket voting in Texas
Some voters have complained that their votes at the top of the ballot were changed, but the Texas secretary of state’s office said the voting machines are not at fault.
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Graphics and data reporting
Here’s what Texas voters should know for the 2018 midterms
On Nov. 6, Texas voters will decide who will hold several statewide, legislative and congressional seats. To help Texans navigate Election Day, we’ve compiled an overview of everything you need to know about casting a ballot in the 2018 midterms.
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Texas Voting Rights
Did you register to vote in Texas before the deadline but can’t confirm it online? Here’s why.
Election officials who often receive thousands of voter registration cards just before elections must manually enter each new voter’s information into their database — a time-consuming process that often leads to massive backlogs.
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Texas Elections 2018
How much money have Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke raised outside Texas? We don’t know for sure.
Each Texas candidate for U.S. Senate has criticized the other for raising money outside the state. But campaign finance rules make it difficult to say who has raised more.