Houston, TX – Early voting by personal appearance for the long awaited May 29 Republican and Democratic Party Primary Elections will begin Monday, May 14, 2012, and continue through Friday, May 25, 2012. Traditionally held in March, the Texas primaries were delayed by the redistricting process.

The Primary elections are conducted by the two major political parties to select nominees that will represent their respective sides in the November General Election. In a Primary election cycle, voters can choose to participate in the election activities of only one of the political parties.

County Clerk and Chief Election Officer of the County Stan Stanart says “There will be 37 early voting locations across Harris County where any qualified voter may vote in one of the Primary Elections. There are many important contests on the ballots and I am excited that we are finally able to provide voters on both sides of the political spectrum the opportunity to participate in the major parties’ candidate nomination process.”

This year on the Republican ballot there are 201 candidates vying for 99 offices at various levels of government, including 10 Federal, 30 State, 20 County and 39 Judicial offices. There are also five non-binding ballot propositions. The Democratic Party has 149 candidates on the Primary ballot vying for 94 positions, including 11 Federal, 25 State, 22 County and 36 Judicial. There are three non-binding referendums in which voters can either support or reject.

To vote during this election, voters may use one of the following documents: Voter Registration Certificate; A driver’s license or personal identification card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to the person by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired; A form of identification containing the person’s photograph that establishes the person’s identity; A birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person’s identity; A United States citizenship papers issued to the person; A United States passport issued to the person; Official mail addressed to the person by name from a governmental entity; A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter; or Any other form of identification prescribed by the Secretary of State.

To find an early voting location and view the early voting schedule, please visit www.harrisvotes.com or contact the Harris County Clerk’s Office at 713.755.6965 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.