Texas Hits All Time High of 15 Million Registered Voters

According to Texas officials, 15 million Texans are now registered voters effective Thursday morning, an all-time high in the Lone Star state.

The Secretary of State's office announced a final number of 15,015,700 registered voters, which is about 78 percent of Texas’ estimated voting age population of 19,307,355. Those who registered by Wednesday will be eligible to vote in this year's presidential election.

Ahead of the 2016 primaries in March, Texas had registered 14,238,436 or 74 percent of estimated voting age population. In comparing Presidential Elections, there were 13,646,226 registered voters or 75 percent of voting age population in 2012, the previous presidential election year when Mitt Romney carried the state. In 2008 when Barack Obama was first elected, the number was 13,575,062 or roughly 77 percent of the voting age population, when Texas went for John McCain.

“Registration is just the first step,” said Secretary of State Carlos H. Cascos (R). “I encourage Texans to prepare now for this fall’s election.”

The last day to request a ballot by mail is Oct. 28. Early voting in person begins Oct. 24 and runs through November 4. On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, voters can visit VoteTexas.gov or call 1-800-252-VOTE.