It's time!

Early voting starts today in the 2018 midterm elections, in which Texas voters will decide a number of important state and federal races. Not only is Monday the first day to vote early, it's also Educator Voting Day!

The 2018 elections are critical for educators, because the outcome will have a direct impact on education policy in the next legislative session. Educators fought hard last session to protect their classrooms and their profession, and only prevailed with the help of elected representatives who shared their interest in supporting our public schools. Many of those allies are retiring, however, and unless Texans elect more pro-public education candidates to replace them, things could go very differently next session.

Ok, I'm ready to vote! So what do I do?

First off, click on the CANDIDATES tab here at Teach the Vote and enter your address to find out who's running in your area. There you can look at each candidate's answers to our education policy survey and review incumbents' voting records. Then check out VoteTexas.org to find your nearest polling place.

If you're having trouble finding a polling location, the easiest place to look is your home county's election website. For example, if you live in Dallas, then a Google search for "Dallas county elections" will turn up DallasCountyVotes.org. This is the official website of the Dallas County Elections Department. Most counties will have a similar website that lists polling locations and times.

Times during the first week of early voting can vary by county. Some, such as Dallas County and Travis County, open the polls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Others, such as Harris County, limit the hours of early voting during the first week, then expand to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the second week.

Also don't forget to bring your ID. You can see a list of accepted forms of voter identification here. If you are legally registered to vote but don't have an ID, you can still vote by signing an affidavit the election judges are required to provide for this purpose.

Early voting runs today, October 22, through Friday, November 2. Election Day is November 6. But there's no need to wait! Head out and vote today, and make sure your friends, family, and colleagues vote as well. The future of our schools depends on it!