May Matters is a nonpartisan civic education initiative focused on the 2026 Texas primary runoff election on May 26. We help Texans understand what a runoff is, when key dates fall, and how to participate — using clear, accurate, publicly available information.

We don't endorse candidates, political parties, or positions on any issue. No ads. No persuasion. Just facts, tools, and trusted messengers. Learn more about our team.

Yes — same mission, new moment. March Matters was our civic education campaign leading up to the Texas primary on March 3, 2026. Now that the primary is over, we've shifted focus to the May 26 runoff, which is where the real action is.

The URL (marchmatters.org) stays the same. The team is the same. The commitment to nonpartisan, plain-English voter education is the same. We just updated the name to reflect the new election. Think of May Matters as the second chapter of March Matters.

May Matters is led by In Good Company, a civic impact organization based in Austin, Texas, in partnership with Texas Impact Education Fund. The campaign is funded and operated entirely as a nonpartisan civic education initiative — no political donors, no candidate funding, no party affiliation.

Meet the team →

Three things guide everything we do:

• Nonpartisanship. We don't support or oppose any candidate, party, or political position. Ever.
• Accuracy. All information comes from official election authorities and is reviewed regularly.
• Respect for individual choice. Participation is always voluntary. We help people get informed — we never tell anyone how to vote.

No. May Matters is strictly nonpartisan. We don't take positions on candidates, parties, or policy issues. Our only goal is more Texans showing up informed and prepared for the May 26 runoff. Partners across the political spectrum trust us because we earn that trust with every piece of content we produce.

In Texas, winning a primary requires more than just the most votes — you need more than 50%. If no candidate clears that bar, the top two vote-getters face off again in a runoff. That second race is May 26, 2026.

In many Texas districts, the party primary winner almost always wins in November. So the runoff is often the election that actually decides who holds office. See how runoffs work →

Runoff elections decide real things — who represents your community, who makes decisions about your schools, roads, healthcare, and economy. And they do it with a fraction of the voters.

Turnout drops more than 50% from the March primary to the May runoff. That means a small number of people decide outcomes that affect everyone. With 30+ state and federal races on the line in 2026, showing up in May matters more than most people realize. Why runoffs matter →

• April 27: Last day to register to vote
• May 15: Last day to apply for a mail ballot (must be received by this date)
• May 18–22: Early voting window
• May 26: Primary Runoff Election Day — polls open 7am to 7pm

Verify your registration and find your polling place at VoteTexas.gov.

Yes — and you're already set. If you voted in the March Republican primary, you vote in the Republican runoff. If you voted in the Democratic primary, you vote in the Democratic runoff. No extra steps required.

You cannot switch parties between the March primary and the May runoff. More on how runoffs work →

Yes. If you sat out the March primary, you're still eligible to vote in the May runoff. You can choose either party's runoff — just pick one and show up. You'll need to be registered by April 27. Check your status at VoteTexas.gov.

Texas holds several types of elections — primaries, runoffs, general elections, and special elections. They each serve a different purpose in determining who holds public office.

The primary (March) narrows the field within each party. The runoff (May) settles ties when no one gets 50%. The general election (November) is the final matchup between party nominees. See all types of Texas elections →

Check your status at VoteTexas.gov — it takes about 30 seconds. You'll need your name, date of birth, and county. The registration deadline for the May 26 runoff is April 27. See our 5 Steps to Get Ready →

You'll need a valid photo ID and to know your polling place. Polls are open 7am–7pm on May 26. Early voting runs May 18–22 if you'd rather skip Election Day lines.

Find your polling place and check wait times at VoteTexas.gov. Full guide: Vote in Person →

Texas has specific eligibility requirements for voting by mail. You may qualify if you are 65 or older, have a disability or illness, will be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting, or are confined in jail but otherwise eligible.

Applications must be received (not just postmarked) by May 15. Full guide: Vote by Mail →

Possibly — it depends on when and where you moved. Texas has specific rules for voters who have recently changed addresses, and in some cases you may be able to cast a limited ballot.

Full guide: Vote if Recently Moved →

Start with the official Texas Secretary of State sample ballot to see exactly who's on your ballot. From there, nonpartisan resources like VOTE411 aggregate candidate responses without endorsing anyone.

Not all voting guides are created equal — some are educational, some are advocacy in disguise. Learn how to read a voting guide →

The easiest way is to grab the free toolkit and share it through your existing channels — newsletters, emails, social posts, bulletin boards, whatever you already use to communicate with your community. No political experience needed.

Get the Toolkit → | Partner with Us →

Yes — and many employers already do. Sharing nonpartisan information about how to vote, key dates, and where to find official resources is widely recognized as a legitimate civic benefit. It's not political advocacy.

May Matters content is designed to fit within standard HR and communications guardrails. We don't tell anyone how to vote, we don't endorse candidates, and we don't collect any voting data from your employees. Resources for workplaces →

Yes. Nonpartisan civic education — sharing dates, explaining how elections work, helping people access official resources — is appropriate for faith communities and consistent with most organizations' guidelines around civic engagement.

May Matters never takes positions on candidates, parties, or policy issues, so there's no risk of running afoul of IRS guidelines on political activity for 501(c)(3) organizations. Resources for faith communities →

Yes. Nonpartisan voter education is explicitly permitted for 501(c)(3) organizations. May Matters is designed with that in mind — we stay squarely in education, never advocacy. Sharing key dates, explaining how runoffs work, and directing people to official resources all fall well within what nonprofits can do.

We always recommend nonprofits consult their own legal counsel when needed, but we're confident our content is built for safe, appropriate sharing. Resources for nonprofits →

Chambers and associations are a natural fit. Your members look to you for information that helps them operate and participate in civic life. Sharing nonpartisan runoff education is a practical extension of the work you already do.

May Matters gives you ready-to-use content so you're not starting from scratch. Resources for chambers and associations →

No. May Matters does not collect, store, or share personal voter data, voting choices, or ballot selections from anyone in your community. We don't track individuals or report back on how specific people engage with the content. Any basic engagement data we collect is aggregated, nonpartisan, and used only for program improvement.

Stick to May Matters resources and official sources like VoteTexas.gov and the Texas Secretary of State. All May Matters content is sourced from official election authorities and reviewed for accuracy.

When in doubt about a voting guide or third-party resource, our page on how to read a voting guide can help you evaluate what you're looking at before you share it.

The best defense is knowing your official sources. For anything related to registration, polling places, or voting rules, go directly to VoteTexas.gov or your county election office. If something you see on social media contradicts those official sources, trust the official sources.

Watch out for urgent-sounding messages that create confusion about dates, eligibility, or polling places — that's a common pattern for election misinformation. How to evaluate voting guides and resources →

Ask three questions: Who made it? Why does it exist? Does it treat all candidates and sides equally? Guides that don't answer those questions clearly should be approached with caution.

Red flags include endorsement language, missing candidates, and emotionally charged descriptions. Green flags include sourced citations, clear methodology, and equal treatment of all candidates. Full guide: How to read a voting guide →

Start here:

• VoteTexas.gov — registration, polling places, mail ballot info
• Texas Secretary of State — election law, sample ballots, official calendar
• VOTE411 by the League of Women Voters — nonpartisan candidate information

See all additional resources →