Less than 10% of Registered Voters Participated in Early Voting

Less than 10% of registered voters in Brazos County, Texas, took part in the 11-day early voting period leading up to this Tuesday’s primary, according to unofficial data from the Texas Secretary of State.

Out of 127,637 registered voters in Brazos County, only 11,706 cast an early ballot, with 9,935 being Republicans and 1,771 Democrats. Mail-in ballots accounted for less than 1% of the total votes cast during early voting, totaling 783 ballots.

Comparing Turnout to Previous Elections

The early voter turnout in Brazos County for the 2024 primary is lower than that of the 2020 primary, despite having over 10,000 fewer registered voters at the time. The decline is mainly attributed to a significant drop in Democratic participation, with 2,429 fewer Democratic ballots cast this year compared to 2020.

While there was an increase of 2,278 Republican voters this year, the overall number of early voters decreased by 151 when compared to the 2020 primary.

Possible Reasons for Decrease in Turnout

One of the reasons for the decline in early voting turnout could be the lack of mainstream competitors in the Democratic presidential primary and fewer down-ballot competitions in Brazos County. Races such as the Texas House District 12 and 14, as well as the Precinct 1 and 3 Commissioners Court races, have only one Democrat running.

Comparison to Statewide Trends

Statewide, Texas has seen a decrease of over 200,000 voters participating in the 2024 primary compared to 2020. This decline is consistent with the lower turnout observed in Brazos County.

Important Information for Super Tuesday

Primary voting for Super Tuesday will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 28 polling locations available across Brazos County. Texas has an open primary system, allowing voters to choose between the Democratic or Republican ballot but not both.

The Brazos County Election Administration Office recently announced a change in one voting location, replacing Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church with the Legends Event Center in Bryan.

List of Polling Locations in Brazos County:

• South Brazos County ESD #1, Millican
• College Station Meeting and Training Facility
• Galilee Baptist Church, Bryan
• Zion Church of Kurten
• Parkway Baptist Church, College Station
• College Heights Assembly of God, Bryan
• First Baptist Church, Bryan
• Beacon Baptist Church, Bryan
• Ben Milam Elementary School, Bryan
• Brazos County Election Admin. Office, Bryan
• Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M campus
• Lincoln Center, College Station
• College Station City Hall
• College Station ISD Admin. Bldg.
• …

Overall, the early voter turnout in Brazos County for the 2024 primary has seen a decrease compared to the 2020 primary, mirroring the trend observed statewide. As Super Tuesday approaches, residents are encouraged to participate in the primary election to have their voices heard.