Early voting begins in North Texas

Early voting in the primary election begins Monday. Each party will choose candidates for seven statewide races and dozens of down-ballot seats in the general election in November.

• Any registered voter can cast a ballot in either the Democratic or Republican primaries.

Why it matters: This is the first election after political districts were redrawn last year.

• The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in December alleging state lawmakers "diluted the voting strength of minority Texans" when they approved the redrawn maps. The suit is pending.

Details: Gov. Greg Abbott is facing challenges related to his handling of the pandemic from his right flank, including former state senator and North Texas businessman Don Huffines and former state GOP chair Allen West.

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, embroiled in a series of investigations, is squaring off against Land Commissioner George P. Bush — nephew and grandson of the former presidents. Former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and far-right U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert are also running for the spot.
• Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller, whose right-hand man was recently indicted on felony theft charges, is being challenged by East Texas lawmaker James White.

In North Texas, we’re watching several races.

• U.S. House District 30: Nine Democrats and six Republicans are running to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who has endorsed freshman state Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
• Tarrant County District Attorney: State Rep. Matt Krause is one of three Republicans vying to replace outgoing DA Sharen Wilson. In the fall, Krause compiled a list of 850 books that might make students feel “discomfort” if found in school libraries.
• Dallas County District Attorney: Democratic incumbent John Creuzot has drawn a familiar challenger — Elizabeth Frizell, a former judge he narrowly defeated in the March 2018 primary. Republican Faith Johnson is also running again after losing to Creuzot in 2018.

Key dates: Early voting continues until Feb. 25. Election Day is March 1.

• Feb. 18 is the last day to request a mail-in ballot, which must be returned by Election Day.

Know before you go: You will need to be registered to vote in Texas and must bring an ID card. Go to votetexas.org for more. Find early voting and Election Day voting locations here:

• Collin County
• Dallas County
• Denton County
• Tarrant County