Fernanda Gonzalez
Fernanda Gonzalez / Vaquero Radio.
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election and other important races approach, students need to be prepared to decide on the future of the country, elections official said.
Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza said if students register or make changes to their registration record, they must stay vigilant to deadlines.
“Feb. 5, 2024, is the deadline to register for the primary election,” Garza said. “Early voting starts on Feb. 20; that’s a Tuesday. So, people have to remember because of the federal holiday on Monday, [Feb.] 19, and it goes through March 1.”
He said there are about 230,000 registered voters in Cameron County, with an expected increase throughout the year.
Elections Administrator for the Hidalgo County department Hilda M. Salinas said there are 428,000 – 530,000 registered voters in the county.
The UTRGV Interdisciplinary Academic Building on the Brownsville campus will be an early voting polling site for Cameron County.
Garza said for primary elections in Cameron County, usually, about 10 to 20% of registered voters cast a democratic ballot, while 6 to 7% vote republican.
“We want to remind everybody that you have, you know, all year long to register to vote,” he said. “But if you want to vote in a particular election, you have to do it 30 days in advance. You have to be registered before you can actually go to the polls.”
Salinas said it is important for students to have their voice heard by voting
“It’s their voice, it’s their right, it’s their civic duty, you know, to vote,” she said. “You know, head out to the polls and vote.”
This is Fernanda Gonzalez for Vaquero Radio.
