Learn
Understand the issues
Plain-English explainers on what's on your ballot. Each one gives the strongest case for every side, tells you who actually decides it, and links every fact to its source.
Voter guides
Race-by-race help for your ballot.
Issues
The debates behind the quiz questions.
Abortion lawsSince the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, each state sets its own abortion law. Texas bans abortion from fertilization except in certain medi...AI Data Centers in TexasHuge data centers that power artificial intelligence are being proposed across Texas, and together they have asked to connect several times the grid's record de...Birthright CitizenshipBirthright citizenship means people born on U.S. soil are U.S. citizens. A 2025 executive order tried to exclude children of parents here unlawfully or temporar...Business regulationRegulations are the detailed rules agencies write to carry out laws on safety, pollution, banking, privacy and more. Since 2025 the federal government has been ...Campaign Finance, Super PACs, and Citizens UnitedFederal law caps what people can give directly to candidates, but groups that spend independently can raise unlimited money. Texas sets no dollar limits on most...Childcare Costs and Universal Pre-KChildcare is one of the biggest bills young families pay, and Texas offers free public pre-K only to 4-year-olds who meet certain rules. Voters disagree about w...China Policy: Taiwan, Trade, TikTok and Foreign Land OwnershipU.S. policy toward China covers trade and tariffs, support for Taiwan, Chinese-linked apps like TikTok, and who may own American land. In 2025 Texas barred many...Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) ProgramsDiversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, refers to offices, trainings and policies meant to support people from different backgrounds. Texas banned DEI offices ...E-Verify and Workplace Immigration Enforcement in TexasE-Verify is a federal online system that checks whether a new hire can legally work in the U.S. Texas requires it for state agencies and some others, but not fo...Energy and Climate PolicyEnergy policy is about which fuels we produce and use, how fast that mix should change, and who pays for it. In Texas it is also jobs policy, because the state ...Federal income taxesCongress sets federal income tax rates, and a major 2025 law made most of the 2017 tax cuts permanent and added new temporary deductions. The debate now is whet...Foreign policy and national defenseForeign policy covers the military, alliances like NATO, and aid to other countries. It is front and center in 2026 because of the U.S. conflict with Iran that ...Gender Transition Care for MinorsTexas banned puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for gender transition in minors in 2023, and courts have upheld the law. Medical groups and governments in...Gun lawsThe Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, and recent Supreme Court rulings have widened that protection. Texas lets adults 21 and over carr...Health careMost Americans get health insurance through a job, while others rely on Medicare, Medicaid or the ACA marketplace. Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the c...Housing, Zoning and GrowthZoning decides what can be built where, from single-family homes to apartments. Texas passed new laws in 2025 that make it easier to build housing in big cities...Immigration and the borderImmigration law is federal, but Texas plays a big role through its long border with Mexico, its own border operations and its county jails. Border crossings fel...Israel, Gaza and U.S. Military AidThe United States gives Israel about $3.8 billion a year in military aid under a 10-year agreement that runs through 2028, plus extra wartime funding since 2023...Judges and Judicial ElectionsTexas elects almost all of its judges in partisan elections, which is why your ballot has a long list of judicial races. Voters often know little about these ca...Mandatory Minimum Sentences and Sentencing ReformMandatory minimums require judges to impose at least a set prison term for certain crimes, mostly drug trafficking in the federal system. Texas uses minimum sen...Marijuana and THC LawsMarijuana remains illegal for recreational use in Texas, but the state expanded its small medical program in 2025 and tightened rules on hemp THC products in 20...Minimum wageThe federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since July 2009, and Texas uses that rate. Some want to raise it, some want states or the market to decide, and ...National debtThe federal government owes about $40 trillion after decades of spending more than it collects. Interest on that debt is now one of the fastest growing costs in...Nuclear Power in Texas: New Laws and Small Modular ReactorsTexas created a state nuclear office and a $350 million fund in 2025 to attract new reactors, including smaller designs called small modular reactors. The feder...Paid Family and Sick LeaveThe U.S. has no national paid leave law, and Texas does not require employers to offer paid sick days. Texas cities tried to require paid sick leave, but courts...Policing, Crime and BailPublic safety decisions are mostly local: cities fund police, counties run jails, and judges and magistrates set bail. Texas voters approved a constitutional am...Prescription Drug Prices: Medicare Negotiation, Price Caps, and InsulinSince 2022, Medicare has been allowed to negotiate prices for some high-cost drugs, and seniors now have caps on insulin and yearly drug costs. Voters disagree ...Qualified Immunity for PoliceQualified immunity is a court-made rule that shields police and other officials from civil lawsuits unless they violated a clearly established right. Supporters...Ranked-Choice Voting and Open or Top-Two PrimariesRanked-choice voting lets voters rank candidates instead of picking one. Texas does not use it: state officials have concluded it conflicts with laws requiring ...Redistricting and GerrymanderingRedistricting is how election district lines get redrawn. Texas redrew its congressional map in the middle of the decade in 2025, and the U.S. Supreme Court all...Regulating Artificial Intelligence: Federal vs. State RulesTexas passed its own artificial intelligence law in 2025, and it took effect in 2026. At the same time, the federal government is pushing for one national stand...Religion in Public Schools: Ten Commandments, Prayer Periods and Bible LessonsTexas passed laws in 2025 requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom and letting school boards adopt a daily prayer and Bible reading perio...Safety net programs: SNAP, Medicaid and housing aidPrograms like SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid help people with low incomes afford food and health care. A 2025 federal law added stricter work rules and will ma...School Choice, Vouchers and Education Savings AccountsTexas now gives some families public money to pay for private school, homeschooling and other education costs. Supporters call it school choice; critics often c...School Curriculum and Library BooksTexas has passed several laws on what schools teach and what books are on library shelves. The fight is over who should have the final say: parents, lawmakers, ...Should Members of Congress Trade Stocks?Members of Congress can legally buy and sell individual stocks as long as they report their trades. Polls show most Americans in both parties favor a ban. In Ju...Social Media and Kids Online: Age Verification and Parental ConsentTexas has passed some of the country's strongest laws on kids and the internet, including age checks for adult websites and app stores. Courts have upheld some ...Social SecuritySocial Security pays monthly benefits to retirees, people with disabilities and survivors, and it is paid for mostly by payroll taxes. Its retirement trust fund...Student Loans and College CostsA 2025 federal law capped some student borrowing and replaced repayment plans, and courts have blocked several loan forgiveness efforts. Voters disagree about w...Supreme Court Reform: Term Limits, Court Size, and EthicsSupreme Court justices serve for life, and Congress has kept the Court at nine seats since 1869. The Court adopted its first written ethics code in 2023, but it...Term Limits for Congress and State OfficialsThe president is limited to two elected terms, but members of Congress and Texas legislators can serve as long as voters keep electing them. Adding term limits ...Texas Property TaxesTexas has no state income tax, so schools, cities and counties rely heavily on local property taxes. The state has spent billions to buy down school taxes and r...The Death PenaltyTexas has carried out more executions than any other state since the death penalty returned in the 1970s. Twenty-seven states and the federal government still a...The Electoral College vs. a National Popular VotePresidents are chosen by 538 electors, and a candidate needs 270 to win. Twice since 2000, the winner got fewer votes nationwide. A compact among states would g...The Texas Power GridMost of Texas runs on its own power grid, managed by ERCOT. After deadly blackouts in the February 2021 winter storm, the state required weatherization and crea...Trade and tariffsA tariff is a tax on imported goods, paid by the business that imports them. After the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under an emergency law in Febru...Transgender Athletes in Girls' and Women's SportsThe debate is over whether transgender girls and women, meaning those born male who identify as female, should compete on girls' and women's teams. Texas alread...Ukraine, Russia and U.S. AidSince Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the U.S. has committed more than $68 billion in weapons and military services to Ukraine. Since 2025, new U...Vaccine Requirements: School Exemptions and Federal Vaccine PolicyTexas requires certain vaccines for school and childcare but lets families opt out for reasons of conscience, and a 2025 law made the exemption form easier to g...Voting and Election RulesTexas requires photo ID to vote in person and limits mail voting to certain groups. In 2025 voters added a citizenship requirement to the state constitution, an...
Offices and terms
What these offices and laws actually do.
What Does a Texas County Judge Do?The title "county judge" is misleading in a county the size of Tarrant. Rather than hearing cases, the Tarrant County Judge presides over Commissioner...What Does the Texas Railroad Commission Do?Despite its name, the Texas Railroad Commission has not regulated railroads since 2005. It regulates oil and gas production, pipelines, and related industries, ...What Is a Red Flag Law?A red flag law, formally called an extreme risk protection order or ERPO, lets a court temporarily remove firearms from someone found to be a danger to themselv...