KWBU asked for questions about this year's election, and you delivered! Over the past few months, public radio stations across Texas have compiled queries from voters all over the state. It’s part of a project we're calling "Texas Decides".
Here are the questions you asked and the stories to go with them.
Question #1. Why is Texas a red state and how did it get so red?
Answer: Let's start by talking about what happened to voters. Even when Texans voted for Democrats, it was still a conservative state. It still had two parties, but the parties were conservative Democrat and moderate Democrat. Up until the 1970s, voting for Democrats was just what you did. Read the rest of the answer here.
Question #2: How will vote recording errors and even fraud be prevented where vote paper records are not created and kept?
Answer: Any election system, electronic or paper, is only as reliable as the people running it. Most counties vigorously vet and train poll workers to make sure they administer the systems fairly. Read the rest of the answer here.
Answer: On its face, how the lines get drawn seems like an easy question. The Texas constitution is clear: after each census, the legislature creates maps for state and congressional legislative districts and the governor signs off. In reality, it's never that simple. New maps usually launch legal battles. Read more here.
Question #4:Can we vote for either Libertarian or Green Party candidates in Texas?
Answer: In Texas a third party candidate such as the Libertarian or the Green Party qualify to be on the ballot, if they receive 5 percent or more votes in the last general election.
Question #5: Why do most Texans eligible to vote not bother to cast a ballot?
Answer: Research shows there are a lot of Texans who are less likely to vote, just based on their life circumstances and who they are. Texas has more younger, poorer, less well-educated and Latino people than most other states, and then there are the legal obstacles like the Voter ID law that sometimes come into play. Read more here.
You can follow our series or give comments on social media with the hashtag #txdecides.