Pinto, Pizza & Primaries
Instead of everyone trying to decode all the names on the ballot alone, we’ll divide and conquer. Each guest researches one race and gives a short, 1–2 minute presentation on what the position is, who’s running, and who you (as the expert on this race) thinks would be the best to fill the role in a general election.
Why your vote in this election actually really matters: Even in Travis County—one of the most politically engaged counties in Texas—primary elections routinely attract only 10–22% of registered voters, with youth participation often in the single digits. That means when you do vote, your choice carries more weight than in high-turnout elections. So doing a little prep and showing up informed means you’re making a real difference.
Fill out the form below to let us know you’re coming!
About the primaries: Texas has open primaries, which means all Texas voters can participate.
Since many districts in Texas heavily favor one party over the other, the primaries often determine the winner of the General Election! Even if you do not strongly identify with any political party, you can and should carefully consider the candidate choices and participate in one of the primaries or conventions.
The Republican and Democratic Parties each choose their candidates in a primary election.
The Libertarian and Green Parties each choose their candidates in a party convention.
Note: If you do not vote in the Primary Election, you can still vote in the Runoff Election! But, if you voted in one party’s primary or convention, you cannot vote in another party’s runoff primary or convention. So, if you voted in the Primary Election, you can only vote in that same party’s Runoff Election.
General Election: Voting in one party’s primary election, convention or runoff election does NOT commit you to vote for a particular party or candidate in the General Election. You can still vote for any candidate of your choice, regardless of party, in the General Election.