Early voting for the March primaries starts next week, and new congressional maps have changed some precinct boundaries in Hidalgo County.

The most significant change involves District 28, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar. The district includes parts of Hidalgo County that used to be in District 15, which is currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz.

The Supreme Court approved the new map for use in this year's elections following a legal challenge claiming the new map discriminates based on race.

Some Rio Grande Valley lawmakers argued the map was redrawn to increase the number of Republicans in Congress.

Most changes affect voters in the northwest part of the county. Some voters may not realize their congressional district has changed, which Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Hilda Salinas said could cause confusion.

Salinas said it's important to check your sample ballot before voting. 

"I know it can be a little bit confusing. There is a lot of information on there, but we are the information hub," Salinas said. "The elections department gives us a call with anything you are not quite sure of."

In Hidalgo County, voters can cast their ballot at any polling location. There will be 31 polling locations open for early voting and 67 on Election Day.

Early voting starts Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, and runs through Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.

Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2026.