FORT WORTH, Texas _ More Texans than ever are registered and ready to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 election.
New numbers released Thursday show that a record 15 million Texas voters signed up to cast ballots in the election next month that will determine who the next president is _ as well as decide officeholders throughout the state, preliminary state estimates show.
"If you want to vote you must be registered, so it's good to see that so many Texans are preparing for this November," Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos said.
In this election, Texans will weigh in on everything from the race for the White House to congressional, legislative and county races. And some will vote in local elections to settle issues including whether the Texas Rangers get a new ballpark and whether alcohol may be sold in some cities.
Early voting runs from Oct. 24-Nov. 4.
More than three-fourths of voting age Texans _ 78 percent to be exact _ registered to vote before the Tuesday deadline.
That's more than the 13.6 million voters signed up to vote in 2012 and the 13.5 million signed up in 2008, state records show.
Earlier this year, in the presidential primary, 14.2 million Texans were registered to vote.
"Registration is just the first step," Cascos said. "I encourage Texans to prepare now for this fall's election."
The last day to request a ballot by mail is Oct. 28.
