Following a disappointing Texas primary election in March, it appears the Texas House will be far less friendly to public education going forward. Some of these races have been tight, and in such a unique election season, we have seen millions of dollars poured in from out-of-state donors to spread anti-public education propaganda. Originally attracted to Texas races as voucher proponents, these non-Texans continue to run attack ad after attack ad against public education-friendly candidates on issues completely unrelated to public schools.

You’ve heard that voter turnout is the key to getting legislators to listen and take education issues seriously, so the maxim “You must be present to win” legitimately describes our situation in the May 28 runoff election. Educators need to consistently show up at the polls not just to support our candidates but also to send a message to lawmakers that our schools and educators deserve better funding and compensation, respectively.

So where can you find information on races and candidates in your area? And who can vote in which primary runoff race?

In this episode of The ATPE Podcast, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter explains the how, when, and why of voting pro-public ed in the upcoming runoff election.