Straight Talk from Dr. Stephanie Elizalde

BY THE HUB Early voting is underway for the March 5 primary–perhaps the most important for public education in Texas history. Please exercise your civic responsibility and vote in this election, especially in races for the Texas House of Representatives and State Senate. Only 18 percent of registered Texas voters participated in the state’s last primary in March 2022. Because of the way legislative district lines are drawn, the primary elections usually determine who will be representing us in Austin. It is our state lawmakers who decide how much funding local schools will receive, whether salaries will be increased for teachers and other district team members, and if state dollars will be re-directed to help parents pay for their children to attend private schools. Texas has “open” primaries, meaning you can request either a Republican or Democratic ballot, regardless of how you plan to vote in the November general election. Please forward this email to everyone you know (spouses, friends, siblings, college roommates, relatives, parents, grandparents, significant others, etc.) who is eligible to vote in the March 5 Texas House primary. Do not think that others will “do the right thing” on your behalf, or on behalf of our students....