The Nov. 5 general election is coming up fast, and early voting gets underway Oct. 21. At United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we’re encouraging all registered voters to make a voting plan now so you can quickly and easily cast your ballot during early voting or on Election Day. 

Voting is one of the most effective ways to advocate for improved access to education, income and health in North Texas. Each election cycle, you can use your vote to support candidates and policies that improve life in our communities. And this year’s election is particularly important—both nationally and locally. 

Unfortunately, Texas has one of the lowest voting participation rates in the country, and North Texas ranked among the lowest regions in voter turnout among the 25 largest U.S. metros in 2016 and 2020. According to data from the Dallas County Elections Department, about half a million registered voters in Dallas County did not vote in the 2020 presidential election. In recent school board elections, turnout was so low that only 2% of voters decided the outcome, according to The Dallas Morning News. 

This can, and should, be the year that North Texas bucks this trend. After all, voting is one of the most patriotic actions you can take and an opportunity to participate directly in our democracy. Casting your ballot gives you a voice in decisions both large and small—from whether rundown sidewalks in your neighborhood get fixed and how much you pay in property taxes to who is on your children’s school board and who sits in the White House. 

Read on to learn more about some of the key races and amendments that will appear on your ballot, plus where to find more information. 

Your Ballot for This Year’s Election 

This year, you’ll have the opportunity to vote for president of the United States and U.S. Senator, as well as Railroad Commission seats, congressional and legislative offices, the State Board of Education, judicial seats and a variety of amendments.  

The quickest and easiest way to determine what will appear on your ballot is to go to your county’s website and view a sample ballot. Click below to discover what will appear on your local ballot, depending on your county: 

• Dallas County Ballots  

• Collin County Ballots 

• Denton County Ballots 

• Rockwall County Ballots 

Outside of the United Way of Dallas service area? Click here to see what’s on the ballot in your county. 

The City of Dallas’ Amendment Proposals 

This election, City of Dallas residents will find 18 proposed amendments on their ballots. These proposals would amend the city’s charter and city code, and they are lettered Propositions A through U.  

The Dallas Morning News gives a great explainer of each amendment in this article. It includes details on three amendments—S, T and U—that we at United Way are encouraging Dallas residents to vote “no” on. Here’s why: 

• Proposition S allows for any Dallas resident to sue the city for perceived failures to comply with the city’s charter, city ordinances or state law. This legally questionable measure is designed to allow for costly lawsuits should the city struggle to comply with Propositions T and U, which is highly likely given how they are written. It will force the city to spend millions in taxpayer money to fight off frivolous lawsuits. 

• Proposition T subjects the city manager’s job status to be determined annually by an unscientific poll of 0.1% of the Dallas population, or just 1,400 people. The charter change would require the survey to include leading questions about issues decided by the outside group that authored it. This will subject the top-appointed city official to an annual political campaign with his/her job status on the line. 

• Proposition U forces the city to immediately hire 900 new police officers, which current and former police officials say is impossible. We all want more police, but this measure does not account for the fact that it takes nearly two years to properly train new police officers. It also would force spending to be diverted from top resident priorities—including fire, EMS, parks, arts, libraries and streets—every year. 

Learn More  

Save yourself time and stress at the polls by being prepared. Do your research on candidates and propositions and determine how you want to vote before getting to the voting machine. You can bring notes or a sample ballot with you to vote, but you’re not allowed to have partisan flyers with you in the voting booth. Create your own personalized ballot by visiting Vote411.org. 

The Texas Tribune has a great explainer of each of the key federal and state races. Click here to read their rundown of each race and candidate. 

To learn more about voting in North Texas, visit our Voting Guide, which includes information on voter ID requirements, voting locations, vote by mail and your rights as a Texas voter.