Texas Politics

1
Texas Politics

• Voting and Elections

2
Political Culture

• A culturally diverse state, varying by region
• Cultural diversity promotes a mix of political
  culture in the state of Texas
• Individualistic individual pursuit of interests
  with minimal interference from government.
• Traditionalistic government needed to preserve
  the social order

3
Voting in Texas

• One may vote in Texas if one is
• A citizen of the United States
• A resident of Texas 30 days prior to election
• 18 years old or older
• A convicted felon may vote two years after
  completing sentence
• Registration administration handled by tax
  assessor or county election administrator

4
Voter Turnout in Texas

• Quite low compared with other states
• Avg. rank (since 1962) for off-presidential
  elections 46/50 states
• About 40 percent turnout in presidential
  elections
• 46th in 2004, with 46 (53VEP) percent turnout
• Low competition
• Texas has generally been either a Democratic or
  Republican-dominated state
• Also, a function of the length of the Texas
  ballot and numerous elections each year

5
Voter Turnout in Texas

• A function of political culture individualistic
  and traditionalistic do not promote participation
  in politics
• Texas political culture is a combination of both
• Minnesota with a more socially-oriented,
  volunteer-driven political culture, tend to value
  participation more, and vote more often

6
Primary Elections

• Historically, Texas has nominated its candidates
  through both caucuses and conventions
• Today, Texas parties that receive over 20 percent
  of the gubernatorial vote must nominate their
  candidates through direct primary
• Need majority to win
• If no majority, then runoff primary between two
  candidates with highest vote in first primary
• Open primary, held in early March

7
General Elections

• Primaries select party candidates to run in the
  general election
• General election for state offices, governor and
  other state officials, occur in off-presidential
  or midterm election years
• Need plurality (the most votes) to win
• Special elections may be held to fill vacancies,
  ratify constitutional amendments
• Requires a majority, so run-offs are possible

8
Administration of Elections

• Ballot access
• Need 5 percent in previous election to be on
  ballot
• Otherwise, need to petition to be on ballot
• For president, need 1 percent of total vote for
  president in last election
• Perot needed about 50,000 signatures to be on
  1992 ballot
• Signers must be vote eligible and not have voted
  in another partys primary for that office
• Restricts access to third parties

9
Administration of Elections

• Most ballots are multilingual
• Absentee ballots may be cast between 22 days and
  6 days before Election Day
• Early voting open to all begun in 1991
• Counting ballots
• Candidate may request a recount when election
  outcomes are within 0.5 of a percentage point or
  less
• Hanging chads are counted in Texas

10
Campaigns in Texas

• Texas campaigns are not much difference from
  national campaigns and other state races
• Name recognition is important
• Taking the right stances on issues is important
• In much of Texas, being a Republican matters a lot

11
Summary

• Texas has similarities to many of the states
• Eligibility requirements for voting
• Primary elections
• Campaign requirements
• Yet, Texas has much lower voter turnout than the
  rest of the country