The runoffs are here! The runoffs are here! Are you ready? Primary runoff elections are today, and certain state and federal candidates will be selected for the big contest in November. Contrary to popular belief, while the November elections are important, they are not the only race that matters. Because of gerrymandering, many districts across our state favor one political party so heavily that races to fill those seats only attract candidates from a single political party. In those races, the candidate who wins the primary faces no opposition in November, meaning that your chance to choose who fills those seats is now, not later.

Most polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but you should check the times and locations locally to find information on your polling place. Don’t forget to bring an acceptable form of identification with you when you vote, and print out any notes ahead of time, as cell phones must be turned off at the polls.

ATPE encourages you to read about the runoffs and find out if you’re eligible to vote in either the Republican or Democratic party’s runoff election. Most importantly, be sure to check out the profiles of your runoff candidates using ATPE’s resources on Teach the Vote and find out which candidates support public education.

If you have additional questions about runoff voting or candidates, please contact ATPE Governmental Relations or call 1-800-777-ATPE (2873).