Wood County Republican Party

Candidate filing has ended, and the ballot-draw to determine the order of candidate-names on the ballot in a fair and randomized fashion is the next phase. Candidates and the general public ARE welcome to attend the ballot-draw, but are NOT required to do so — a neutral volunteer will be chosen to draw for any candidate not physically present. Ballot-draw is scheduled to be held at 10:30am on Thursday 2025-12-18 at Quitman Library, 202 E. Goode St, Quitman TX 75783. If you have questions or concerns, contact the Wood County Republican Party chair at 903.850.2797 please. Below is the official notice.

Why should you vote in the upcoming March 3, 2026 primary?

You should vote in a primary election because it’s your shot to pick the candidates who’ll represent your views in the general election—before the options get locked in. Primaries decide who carries your party’s flag, and since turnout’s usually low (often 20% or less of registered voters), your vote packs a bigger punch than in November. Skipping it hands that choice to a smaller, sometimes more extreme slice of the electorate—like how Trump snagged the 2016 GOP nod with just 14 million primary votes out of 62 million total voters in the general.

It’s also where real ideological battles happen. If you care about steering your party, whether toward pragmatism, principle, or something else, primaries are your leverage. Plus, in places like our Texas House District 5, where the general election is a Republican lock, the primary is the real contest.  Our current representative’s 2024 primary win over two challengers basically sealed his seat.

Not voting in the primary? You’re sitting out the whole game.