Elections

A fire burning at a power substation southeast of Lubbock has been contained, but officials say it’s expected to continue to burn for about 40 days. For Texans who plan to vote by mail this year, applications must be received by the local election office today. And taking place this weekend, the United Supermarkets Lubbock Marathon has events for families and athletes alike.

Only a handful of Texas counties will not have all in-person voters cast paper ballots at the polls. By 2026, all voting machines in Texas must produce a paper trail, per a 2021 state law.

With early voting underway in Texas, the Texas Civil Rights Project has established an election protection hotline to respond to concerns from those visiting the polls. Texas voters have been found to differentiate between border security and immigration, according to Texas Public Opinion Research. Texas Public Radio's Kayla Padilla has more on these recent findings.

Early voting for the Nov. 5 general election begins today. Polling locations will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. For a complete list of voting locations and a sample ballot for the county, visit votelubbock.org. Texas Death Row inmate Robert Roberson is expected to testify today before the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence; Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies has more.

Early voting begins today and runs through Nov. 1. Here's a short guide on what you'll need when you head to the polls.

At East Caney Baptist Church outside Sulphur Springs, which has been in operation for over 160 years, we asked worshippers what’s on their minds as they prepare to head to the polls.

Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, Congressman Colin Allred, squared off in a fiery debate last night — their only one before voters decide which of them will represent Texas in the Senate for the next six years. And Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies has more on another rejected legal effort to prevent the upcoming execution of an East Texas man.

Republican Ted Cruz, the state’s junior senator, is hoping Texans send him to Washington for another six-year term. While his Democratic challenger, Dallas-area Congressman Colin Allred, has closed the gap in recent weeks, he remains an underdog.

“Research has been consistent over time that voter fraud is infinitesimally rare,” one expert tells NPR.

A majority of American Muslims have been voting for Democratic presidents since 2004, but their support for the blue party is cracking.