AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Early voting began across Texas on Monday for approximately 15.8 million people who are registered to vote in the midterm elections.
The number of registered voters is a 4 percent increase from those registered to cast a ballot in the March primaries. Texas has added 1.6-plus million registered voters since 2014’s midterm elections, with young voters helping to drive that increase.
The early voting period extends to Nov. 2. Election Day is Nov. 6.
The statewide race receiving the most attention is the challenge Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke is mounting for the seat held by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
At one polling place in Plano, a northern Dallas suburb, the wait in line to vote early Monday afternoon was about 30 minutes.
“I just wanted to come the first day and get it out of the way,” said Rahim Sewani, one of those in line. He said the line “was moving pretty fast” and that the election workers “know what they are doing, so it wasn’t bad at all.”
Suresh Nayak said he has lived in Texas for 30 years and Monday was the first vote he has ever cast.
“I was waiting for this. The way things are going, I couldn’t wait to vote,” he said. He declined to say for whom he voted or what races most interested him.
For Tarrant County voting information:
www.tarrantcounty.com/content/main/en/elections/Upcoming-Election-Information/Early-Voting-Schedule-Locations-and-Maps.html?linklocation=trending&linkname=Early%20Voting
