The nonpartisan civic initiative March Matters has launched a targeted runoff awareness campaign, dubbed “May Matters,” to expand voter participation ahead of the state’s primary runoff elections.
The effort aims to mobilize voters for early voting and on Election Day, addressing a historical trend where a fraction of the electorate decides some of the state’s most consequential political matchups.
Runoff elections in Texas are triggered when no single candidate secures more than 50% of the vote during the initial March primary. The top two finishers advance to the runoff, with the winner securing a spot on the November general election ballot.
According to a press release by the organization, despite the high stakes, state records from the last midterm primary cycle in 2022 show that while 3 million Texans participated in the March primaries, voter turnout collapsed to just 8.2% of registered voters by the May runoff.
The May Matters campaign relies on a “trusted messenger” model, partnering with 400 businesses, faith communities, educational institutions, and civic organizations to distribute nonpartisan voting guides.
This network previously operated under the “March Matters” banner during the March 2026 primary, which saw a record-breaking turnout of nearly 4.5 million Texas voters. The organization is now attempting to sustain momentum by answering practical procedural questions that frequently act as barriers to ballot box participation.
Marjorie Clifton, co-founder of May Matters, said that runoffs suffer from a chronic lack of public awareness, leaving many eligible voters without standard election reminders or ballot information. The coalition emphasizes three core steps for potential participants: verifying runoff eligibility based on March voting history, confirming polling locations and valid forms of identification, and using verified nonpartisan resources to review candidate platforms.
Because many Texas legislative and congressional districts lean heavily toward one political party, Clifton said that the primary runoff often serves as the de facto deciding contest for local representation.
According to Clifton, the organization’s sole objective is providing trusted, nonpartisan guidance. “We aren’t telling people who to vote for,” she said.