If the majority of your principles as a voter align more closely with one side or the other, failing to vote with that party is not only throwing away one of our most important rights as Americans, but it is also helping the people you disagree with win.
Browsing: Voting
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which the House passed in February and the Senate has debated since March 17, would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot in federal elections.
Texas voters turned out in historic numbers Tuesday, delivering victories for State Rep. James Talarico and forcing a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s U.S. Senate contest that claimed national attention. The total early-voting turnout of more than 2.5 million marks the highest ever for a midterm primary election. The results also kicked off the 2026 midterm cycle.
Behind every state budget, courtroom ruling and public land decision is an elected official tasked with steering Texas’s future. This election cycle, Democratic voters will decide nominees for key positions that oversee the state’s finances, natural resources, judiciary and legislative priorities.
Early voting turnout for the 2026 Texas primary elections has surged to levels never before seen in a midterm cycle, with statewide total turnout on pace to more than double the figures recorded during the 2022 primaries.
Texas state Rep. James Talarico visited Waco during a campaign stop, discussing political division, economic concerns and the need for stronger representation for younger generations.
The 2026 midterms — widely seen as the first referendum on the Trump administration — kicked off Tuesday as Texas opened early voting for its March 3 primary, the first contest in what is projected to be the most expensive midterm cycle in American history.
At a Waco debate hosted by Those Meddling Kids, Democratic hopefuls J. Gordon Mitchell, Milah Flores and Casey Shepard sparred over policy, political pasts and what it would take to flip a longtime Republican seat.
Early voting starts Feb. 17, and the deadline for counties to receive mail-in ballot requests is Feb. 20. On Feb. 11, county election offices will post the polling locations on their website for Election Day and for the early-voting period.
The propositions at the bottom of the ballot touch nearly every corner of public life. Here’s what Baylor students should know before they vote.
With primary elections on the horizon, Beto O’Rourke returned to the campaign trail at Waco High School on Wednesday night, rallying local Democrats with a call to organize, volunteer and turn out in force on Election Day.
For many believers, this concern is especially clear regarding abortion. Biblical passages such as Psalm 139 and Hebrews 12 emphasize God’s role as the author of life, leading some Christians to support policies that protect life from conception.
American politics feels less like a democracy and more like a never-ending custody battle. Voters get stuck in the middle while two massive parties argue over who gets to “own” them. The Republican and Democratic parties were originally created to help organize elections and mobilize people. Today, they mostly organize outrage, and they’ve gotten extremely good at it.
Democrats’ strong showings in blue-state elections may seem irrelevant to Texas, but political experts say these results offer an early snapshot of voter sentiment heading into 2026. With affordability emerging as a top concern and uncertainty surrounding national policy, these outcomes could influence strategies for both parties in the coming election year.
To put this monumental celebration in perspective and to celebrate the development of student press over these years, here are 10 important historical developments that succeed the birth of The Lariat.
It’s easy to dismiss elections, especially the smaller ones. Voting is regularly inconvenient, rarely straightforward and every ballot seems to be drenched in roles, propositions and names. If we want support, representation and protection from our state and nation, we have to take the time to communicate. Voting is the first step in that.
Flanigan hopes events such as “Popcorn and Politics” will help educate students about current events, better informing them about what’s happening in the world around them and the role their representatives play in these issues.
“Parents have a significant impact on the value system and the ideological system that children develop over time. We’re all impacted by the messages that we hear growing up in our parents’ home,” McAninch said.
“Noe is here legally. He has all of his papers. He’s done all of his work … He is not a criminal, and ICE picked him up. They will not let him go,” McGuire said. “We are out here protesting this because it is not American. It’s illegal, it’s unconstitutional and it’s just not right.”
We must not put more unfit people in power just because of the party they affiliate themselves with. To ensure a better future for America we must improve the system we have been given by voting for candidates based on their merit, not their party.
Our society forces everything from political figures and media companies into one of two political categories. It’s become an unstoppable battle that should never have begun.
Trust me, I understand the need to set boundaries with watching and consuming media, but that doesn’t mean staying uninformed. News consumption is about moderation rather than complete disengagement.
While many Kamala Harris supporters may blame her loss on America being a racist or sexist nation, the true reason Harris lost the election was her inability to appeal to the average voter or separate herself from the failures of the Biden administration.
Despite the hope of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party gained a lead and ran with the House Tuesday night. Though votes are still being counted, the GOP currently has a 17 seat lead. Despite this, the majority might still be up in the air with the GOP currently only holding one seat from the Democrats.
Republican David Schenck ran against Democrat Holly Taylor and has been appointed the new Presiding Judge. Republican Gina Parker now occupies Place 7 over Democrat Nancy Mulder and Republican Lee Finley assumes Place 8 over Democrat Chika Aniyam.
Tuesday night, Republican Donis “D.L.” Wilson won McLennan County Commissioner in a head-to-head race against Democrat Jeremy Davis.
“This campaign really became a calling from God,” Curry said.
Republican incumbent Christi Craddick won the Railroad Commissioner race for a third straight term on Tuesday night. She took nearly 60% of the votes compared to the other four candidates.
Upon victory, Maynard said that he looks forward to serving the 5.5 million students in District 10 for another term.
Money and debate chops weren’t enough to unseat Cruz. Bradford Holland, the immediate past chair of the McLennan County Republican Party, said the win means that Texans held fast against “outside-of-Texas money” and have shown the state to be “solidly red.”

