More Texans than usual cast ballots in primary In early voting, Texans participated in greater numbers in the state Democratic primary than the Republican primary, but on Election Day, March 6, the Republican turnout exceeded the Democratic turnout by half a million votes. Primaries historically have been light-turnout affairs. About 10 percent of the state’s 15 million registered voters cast ballots in the Republican primary and about 7 percent in the Democratic primary.