While it might feel like all eyes are on the Texas Legislature, early voting in the May 3 local elections begins Tuesday and runs through April 29. It’s critical for public educators not to overlook the upcoming local election. Depending on where you live, you might have a school board trustee, bond, and/or an appraisal district board election on your ballot. 

Why local elections matter so much 

Voter turnout in Texas is generally low when no statewide or national races are on the ballot; however, with the huge impact that local elections have on public schools, you’ll want to be sure that you make a plan to vote. This ATPE News article and this Teach the Vote blog post take a deeper dive into the importance of voting at the local level. In short, school board elections are increasingly a political target of those seeking to denigrate public schools, with many candidates running on culture war issues. Some candidates may also be using the school board election as a stepping stone to higher office. Given the power an elected school board has over your daily work, making decisions about which District of Innovation exemptions your district has as well as how to allocate funds, you want to vote for the candidates you believe will act in the best interests of students and educators. 

How to prepare to vote 

Not every school district holds its elections in May, and not every Texas voter has something to vote on during the May 3 election. Confirm what’s on your ballot using sites such as Ballotpedia and Vote411 where you can enter your address to pull up local races. These are also excellent tools for helping you build a ballot reference sheet to take with you to vote. Keep in mind that you cannot use your cell phone within 100 feet of voting booths. 

If you don’t see a sample ballot on either of those sites—especially common in rural areas—visit the Texas Secretary of State’s website to learn what’s on the local ballot. Your county election office may even offer a sample ballot on its website. Be sure to also visit votetexas.gov to locate your nearest early voting polling location, and if you can’t vote early, know where to go on Election Day, Saturday, May 3. 

If you’re also looking to get involved beyond the ballot box, check out the Local Advocacy module in the ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP) to learn how you can effectively engage with school district leaders, community organizations, and local media. This course is a free benefit for ATPE members. 

This is your chance to make your voice heard—be sure to also encourage colleagues, friends, and family to vote in this important election!