Primary Run-Off Results: Final Early Voting Results

Five days of early voting yields paltry results.

Primary Run-Off Results: Final Early Voting Results

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: You do know there's an election on? After five days of early voting in the July 31 primary run-offs, turnout in Travis County topped out at a paltry 3.62%.

Even with the raw fury being poured into the GOP punch-ups, especially between Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former solicitor general Ted Cruz, only 16,056 Travis residents (2.69% of the 597,479 registered voters) made it the Republican ballot.

Don't laugh, Democrats. With little to energize the base, only 5,573 voters (0.93%) turned out. That means more Republicans voted on Friday than voted in the Dem election over a working week.

Now for the nail-biting for the GOP: With the election on Tuesday, is this just early-voting excitement? Turnout is already trailing almost 2,000 votes behind the May 29 first round. If it stays low, then accepted wisdom is that this benefits the far out fringe, and that 'moderates' like Dewhurst (hah!) will suffer without at least a few centrists on Tuesday.

Election day in the primary runoffs is July 31. Find a full list of voting locations at the website. Read our endorsements here.

Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Election 2012
Austin Studios Puts Out the 'For Rent' Sign
Austin Studios Puts Out the 'For Rent' Sign
Austin Film Society seeks anchor tenants to build a new community

Richard Whittaker, Feb. 6, 2014

Austin ISD: New Board, New President
Austin ISD: New Board, New President
Vince Torres to lead trustees as new era begins

Richard Whittaker, Nov. 20, 2012

More 2012 Primaries
Ted Cruz: The New Schwarzenegger
Ted Cruz: The New Schwarzenegger
And we don't mean that in a good way

Richard Whittaker, Aug. 7, 2012

When Dewhurst Goes Back to Senate
When Dewhurst Goes Back to Senate
How Cruz and Campbell's run-off wins rewrite the Legislature

Richard Whittaker, Aug. 3, 2012

More by Richard Whittaker
Affordable Art Fair Austin's Mission to Make Art Less Scary
Affordable Art Fair Austin's Mission to Make Art Less Scary
Director Cori Teague looks to year two of educating new collectors

May 14, 2025

Paramount Gets Romantic for the Summer Classic Film Series
Paramount Gets Romantic for the Summer Classic Film Series
The Padaleckis drop by for When Harry Met Sally, and more

May 14, 2025

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Election 2012, 2012 Primaries, Republican Party of Texas, Texas Democratic Party, Primary Run-Off, Jeff Wentworth, David Dewhurst, Donna Campbell, Ted Cruz, Paul Sadler, Grady Yarbrough, Adan Ballesteros, Michael Cargill

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle