Does Texas still have straight-ticket voting?

“Does Texas still have straight-ticket voting?” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

The short answer: Not for long. Straight-ticket voting allows a voter to cast a ballot for every candidate in a particular political party without having to vote in each race. The 2018 general election was the last time it will be on Texas ballots.

The Texas Tribune partnered with the education publisher Pearson to answer that and other questions for Texas students. Watch the video to learn more — or read our related coverage below:

• The Legislature voted last year to end straight-party voting for the 2020 elections. After a tough election for some down-ballot Republicans, some are wishing they’d done it sooner.
• After years of Texas voters having the option to vote for an entire party’s slate in one fell swoop, the straight-ticket option will no longer be available beginning in 2020 under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
• Straight-ticket ballots — where voters choose parties instead of individual candidates — accounted for almost 64 percent of total votes cast in the state’s 10 biggest counties in 2016.