Don’t Roll Over, Texas

We’re Launching a Get-Out-The-Vote Campaign Inspired by Texas’s Strangest and Most Beloved Mascot: The Armadillo

In Texas, we have a state mammal that tells the whole story.

When threatened, the armadillo rolls up into a tight little ball. Head down. Feet tucked in. Wait it out.

It’s exactly what too many Texans do every primary season.

Today, Builders Texas is launching Turn Out or Roll Over, a statewide campaign aimed at increasing voter participation in Texas primary elections leading up to March 3, 2026. And yes, the armadillo is front and center.

Because here’s the reality: when Texans skip the primaries, we roll over. And when we roll over, a small slice of voters decides the direction of the entire state.

Primary elections are how voters choose who will represent each political party on the ballot. Before the November election, parties often hold primaries to decide which candidate moves forward.

The vast majority of Texas districts are solidly Democratic or Republican. November won’t change that. In those districts, the March 3 primary is the real election. Yet only 1 in 5 voters participate, allowing a small slice of Texans to decide for everyone else.

We’ve all seen an armadillo on the side of a Texas road — frozen in place, rolled tight.

Do we want to be like that politically?

Our Turn Out or Roll Over campaign is built around making that metaphor impossible to ignore.

The two-week campaign culminates on March 2, Texas Independence Day, with a public event and large-scale visual installation outside the South Steps of the State Capitol — a striking visual representation of what “rolling over” looks like when voters sit out of the primaries.

The campaign leverages the power of creative, place-based visual storytelling to make the consequences of low primary turnout more visible in everyday public spaces and on social media. Across the state, Texans will encounter armadillo outlines chalked onto sidewalks, posters and billboards, a large-scale mural, and on social media—each pairing the familiar image of “rolling over” with clear reminders of what happens when most voters sit out primaries.

Help Us Get Out the Vote

Early voting for the Texas primaries starts on February 17. Here’s how you can help:

1. Make a plan to vote. Download our primaries guide for key dates, FAQs, and non-partisan resources

2. Get out and vote. Bring three friends or family members with you

3. Request FREE Builders Texas Turn Out or Roll Over swag to wear to the polls right here

You don’t have to love every option on the ballot. You don’t have to agree with every platform. You just can’t roll over. The armadillo rolls up because it feels powerless. And Texas doesn’t need to feel powerless. Texas needs to show up.