A bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott will remove the option for Texans to cast a straight-party vote in elections. Straight-party voting refers to the option voters have to select all candidates affiliated with one political party of their choosing with just one click on the ballot. Most other states in the nation have also ended straight-party voting. House Bill 25 was signed by Abbott in June 2017 but will not go into effect until Sept. 1, 2020. In 2016, straight-party ballots accounted for almost 64% of total votes cast in the state’s 10 biggest counties, according to Community Impact Newspaper’s reporting partner The Texas Tribune. Tarrant County election officials are encouraging voters to budget a few extra minutes at the voting booths next year, as wait times are expected to increase. Voters, however, will now be presented with all candidate options.