Happy Texas Independence Day! It's also the last day of early voting in the Texas primaries. Read the latest election news and more in this week's wrap-up from ATPE:

• ELECTION UPDATE: Early voting ends today; find voting resources here
• Why March 6 Matters: A recap
• ATPE testifies at SBEC meeting
• More on ATPE's input to Congress regarding HEA

ELECTION UPDATE: Today is the last day for early voting in the 2018 Texas primary elections. Election day is Tuesday, March 6. Early voting is the most convenient way to cast your ballot, since you can visit any polling place in your county. On Tuesday, you'll need to vote in your precinct's assigned polling location unless your county is participating in the Countywide Polling Place Program.

As a starting point, check out these tips on voting from ATPE Political Involvement Coordinator Edwin Ortiz. You'll find answers to common questions such as what forms of ID are required and whether you can bring notes into the voting booth with you.

Learn about the nonbinding propositions that will appear at the end of your primary ballot as a way for the state Republican and Democratic parties to develop their official platform positions on certain issues. ATPE Lobbyist Monty Exter has the scoop on those propositions here.

Most importantly, if you've not voted yet, it's not too late to explore our candidate profiles here on Teach the Vote. The profiles include detailed voting records for incumbents, which are based on official records maintained in the House and Senate journals. Learn more about ATPE's process for compiling and verifying voting records here. The candidates' profiles also include their responses to our ATPE candidate survey, where available, links to the candidates' websites and social media profiles, and more. We even share information about upcoming campaign-related events when requested by the candidates.

Remember that many candidates are looking for volunteers this weekend and especially for election day on Tuesday. Learn more about volunteering to help out a pro-public education campaign in this blog post from ATPE Governmental Relations Director Jennifer Mitchell Canaday.

If you are voting in the Republican primary, don't forget about precinct conventions that will be happening Tuesday evening after the polls close. It's a chance to become a delegate to the party's conventions and help further shape the party's platform on education and other issues. On the Democratic side, there are no precinct conventions but you can sign up to participate in the party's county-level conventions in April. Learn more in this blog post we republished last month from the Texas Tribune.

For additional election resources for educators, check out the website for our Texas Educators Vote coalition. Kudos to everyone who has helped us create a culture of voting throughout the education community, despite a barrage of attacks from those who feel threatened by the prospect of more educators being actively engaged in the election process and voting for candidates who will stand up for public education.

If you've not voted yet, get out there today or make plans to vote on Tuesday! Remind your friends, too!  

Over the past week, we've featured a series of blog posts for Teach the Vote on Why March 6 Matters. We've been highlighting just a few of the specific reasons why educators' votes in this primary election are going to shape the outcome of numerous debates when the Texas legislature meets again in 2019. If you're still wondering what's at stake on Tuesday, check out these posts by ATPE's lobbyists on some of the hottest topics that the people you elect this year will be tackling during the next legislative session in 2019:

• Why March 6 Matters: Healthcare
• Why March 6 Matters: Retirement
• Why March 6 Matters: School Finance
• Why March 6 Matters: Payroll Deduction
• Why March 6 Matters: Vouchers
• Why March 6 Matters: Teacher Pay

ATPE's Kate Kuhlmann testifying at a recent SBEC meeting

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met today in Austin. ATPE Lobbyist Kate Kuhlmann testified at the meeting and provided a report on the outcome of the board's discussions. Stay tuned to Teach the Vote for more developments from SBEC in 2018.    

Carl Garner

ATPE is asking Congress to protect teacher training and retention programs as it works on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). ATPE Lobbyist Kate Kuhlmann provided an update on our blog this week about our efforts to ensure that Congress doesn't strip out Title II program dealing with educator recruitment, training, and retention. Read more about our effort being coordinated by ATPE's Washington-based lobby team and the letter sent earlier this week to Texas's congressional delegation from ATPE State President Carl Garner.