Alright, listen up. Early voting for the March 2026 primary elections just started, and it's a big deal for how our leaders get picked. If you're living in Harris County, you can hit up any polling location to cast your ballot. That's a key legal provision designed to make voting easier, not harder. Here in Texas, we've got what's called an "open primary" system. What that means for you is that no matter your party affiliation – or lack thereof – you get to pick if you want to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. But here's the catch, and it's a legal one: you can only choose one. Once you've voted in, say, the Republican primary, you can't then turn around and vote in the Democratic one during the same election cycle. It's a fundamental rule to prevent cross-over voting in a way that could distort results. Early voting kicked off on February 17th and runs until February 27th. In Harris County, there are 60 places where you can vote early. They're open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. most weekdays, with a slightly different schedule on Saturday, February 22nd, when they open at noon. This extended period and multiple locations are all about ensuring fair access to the ballot box, a core tenet of our election laws. And speaking of access, here's a public policy win: METRO is offering free rides to polling sites. That's for local buses, light rail, curb2curb, and METROLift. All you need to do is flash your voter ID or another approved document to the operator. It's a deliberate effort to knock down transportation barriers, aiming to protect everyone's constitutional right to vote, regardless of their ability to get around. Election Day itself is Tuesday, March 3rd. On that day, Harris County will have over 200 polling locations open, again from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Remember, what you can bring inside the polling place and what ID you need are all part of state election laws, so make sure you're squared away on those details. You can usually find a voting guide from official sources. This primary isn't just a warm-up. It's where we decide who even gets a shot at the November midterm elections. You'll see races for big state offices like Governor, Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor, along with contenders for our U.S. Senate seats. For instance, Senator John Cornyn is facing challengers like Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt in the Republican primary. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are leading the pack. Locally, county judge seats are up for grabs across Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Montgomery counties. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo isn't running again, so that race is wide open. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, former City Council member Letitia Plummer, and Matt Salazar are battling for the Democratic nomination, while a host of Republican candidates, including fire union leader Marty Lancton and former council member Orlando Sanchez, are vying for their party's nod. These local races can hit your daily life pretty directly, so paying attention to these primaries is a must for shaping your community's future.