With only 36 days left until the midterm election, UTEP graduate and former astronaut Danny Olivas made the case for a push to register to vote.
His visit to El Paso Community College's Valle Verde campus on Monday, Sept. 28, was part of the Astronauts for America "Vote For Freedom" non-partisan national college tour
. The initiative was especially important at EPCC, with the number of students eligible to vote for the first time who still have an opportunity to register."We astronauts know what it's like to look back at Earth from hundreds of miles above it," Olivas said. "From that vantage point, we don't see red or blue states or congressional districts. The organization is formed by more than 100 former astronauts, and we're committed to strengthening
our constitutional democracy and getting people to (vote)."
The last day to register to vote in Texas for the General Election is Oct. 5, either online, by mail, or in person.
A record 18.6 million Texans were registered to vote in the 2024 election. An estimated 11.3 million people, or 61% of registered voters, cast ballots in the general election, according to preliminary, unofficial data. That total marks a nearly 6-percentage-point drop in turnout compared to 2020, reported the Texas Tribune.
The organization has publicly stated it is "committed to science, evidence-based decision-making, public service, and the rule of law."
"We're Democrats, Republicans and independents and we don't agree on everything and that's OK," Olivas said. "What we do agree on is that our country works better when people participate. We hear 'politics is broken' and 'no one listens' and the system is not perfect. I only ask that you don't surrender your voice and that's your vote."
The "fireside chat" that included nearly 200 students was a chance for them to discuss the importance of educating themselves about the candidates and political issues. They also discussed how to determine if they are registered to vote. A partnership with Vote.org allows the public to check if they are registered.
Erick Gutierrez, a second-year honor student studying business accounting and economics, moderated the discussion and noted it was a rare chance to hear the perspective of someone who has given so much to the nation.
"This is extremely important and it's bigger than any one person and impacts the country," Gutierrez said. "People need to understand that their voices mean so much in their vote and that's their way of saying what they want their future to be. Hearing that message from Dr. Olivas is something out of this world."
In 2024, El Paso had a 48.7% voter turnout in the general election. This represented 254,710 ballots cast out of a possible 522,442 registered voters, according to El Paso County.
This midterm election boasts a tight race for Texas governor between Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa. The race for U.S. Senate is also a toss-up between Democrat James Talarico and Ken Paxton.
Important dates for 2026 Texas election
The last day to register to vote for the General Election is Oct. 5, either online, by mail, or in person.
Early voting starts Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30. The absentee ballot request deadline is Oct. 23 for mail requests or Oct. 19 for in-person requests. The absentee ballot return deadline is Nov. 3, by mail or in person on Election Day.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Astronaut Danny Olivas makes push for voter registration for midterms
