AUSTIN, Texas — This year, a record 18 million Texans registered to vote, but some experts question how many will actually show up to the polls between now and Election Day.

What You Need To Know

  • Early voting has begun and a record 18 million Texans are registered to vote. But experts don't think turnout will be very high this year

  • Austin Community College is organizing parades to the polls to help people find nearby voting locations

  • Robert Stein,  professor of political sciences at Rice University, expects 50% to 60% turnout during the early voting period

  • Cassie Fitzgerald, the director of elections at ACC, says she'll still try to bring as many voters to the polls as possible
 

Bianca Solis is pregnant with her third child and voted for the first time on Tuesday.

“The fact that I have kids now has definitely impacted my decision to vote and just have a better future for them,” Solis said.

Solis wants to set an example for her kids, but also has other issues at the top of her mind.

“The immigration reform is very important to me and impacts us as a nation,” she said.

Solis joined a parade to the polls led by Austin Community College (ACC) Director of Elections Cassie Fitzgerald.

“We're just glad to have this kind of parade. Help us bridge the distance between our campus where our students are, and where a polling place is just down the street,” said Fitzgerald.

The parades are a way to reach repeat and first-time voters, each motivated by their own priorities.

“The economy, immigration, you know, what's going on in the Middle East as well,” said Edwin Escamilla, an ACC student.

For some first-time voters, their motivations hit closer to home.

“If we want a fairer America, then we need to invest in our middle- and lower class communities,” said Tianna Allen, an ACC student.

During the 2020 presidential election, pandemic-era provisions in place made it easier to vote in some instances, encouraging people to head to the polls. 

“2020 was unusual in the sense that it was easier to vote than it has been during those cycles. There were some special provisions made for mail-in voting and such because of the pandemic,” said Matthew Wilson, a professor of political sciences at Southern Methodist University.

Some experts don’t expect high turnout in 2024.

“I think it'll be close to the high 50s and maybe close to 60%. Again, we do have 15 more days, but I don't think we can project too much from early voting, particularly the first couple of days are always the heaviest of early voting and then the last two days,” said Robert Stein, a professor of political sciences at Rice University.

Fitzgerald will still try to bring as many voters to the polls as possible.

“I think everybody has different reasons for why they why they think voting is important this year,” said Fitzgerald.

Parades from ACC campuses to early voting locations will continue until Nov. 1, the last day of early voting.