Texas, early voting is open. Here's where to go.

Let's be honest. Every cycle we hear "Texas is about to turn blue," and every cycle Texas Republicans show up. But showing up isn't automatic. It's a choice every one of us has to make, and today is the first day you can make it.

Early voting in Texas opened this morning. Here's everything you need, no fluff.

The dates

Early voting: Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30, including both weekends.
Election Day: Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Hours vary by county, but every county has to give you at least nine hours a day this week, 12 hours on Saturday the 24th, six hours on Sunday the 25th, and at least 12 hours a day in the final week. In Harris County, for example, it's 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Here's the part a lot of people miss: during early voting, you can vote at any early voting location in your county. Not just the one by your house. The one by your office, your kid's school, the grocery store. Whatever's easiest.

Where to vote

The fastest way is the state's official lookup at VoteTexas.gov. Enter your name, county, date of birth and ZIP code and it shows your locations.

If you're in North Texas or Houston, your county has its own site with wait times:

Dallas County: dallascountyvotes.org
Tarrant County: tarrantcountytx.gov/en/elections
Collin County: collincountytx.gov/Elections
Denton County: votedenton.gov
Harris County: harrisvotes.com (more than 70 early voting centers)

Or check my vote page for the dates and the state link in one place.

Bring your ID

Texas requires a photo ID. Any of these works:

Texas driver's license, Texas ID card, Election Identification Certificate or License to Carry
U.S. passport (book or card)
U.S. military ID with photo
U.S. citizenship certificate with photo

If you're 18 to 69, it can be expired up to four years. If you're 70 or older, an expired ID is fine no matter how old it is. If you truly can't get one, bring a utility bill or bank statement and fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls.

What's on the ballot

Come on, this isn't a sleepy midterm. At the top of the Texas ballot:

Governor: Greg Abbott (R) vs. Gina Hinojosa (D)
U.S. Senate: Ken Paxton (R) vs. James Talarico (D)
Lieutenant Governor: Dan Patrick (R) vs. Vikki Goodwin (D)
Attorney General: Mayes Middleton (R) vs. Nathan Johnson (D)

Plus comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, railroad commissioner, Congress, the Legislature, State Board of Education, judges and your local races. Look at your sample ballot on your county's site before you go so you're not guessing down-ballot.

How did day one go?

Too early to say with real numbers, and I'm not going to make them up. Counties post their first-day totals tonight and the state follows. Texas doesn't register voters by party, so any party split you see will be an estimate, and I'll label it that way.

Here's what I can tell you: Bexar County election officials reported strong turnout on day one, and El Paso County said it's seeing more interest than the last midterm and expects the first and last days to be the busiest. I'll have the first real Texas numbers on the early vote tracker once they're out.

Don't just vote. Bring someone.

Every day this week, the national early vote lead Democrats built on mail ballots has gotten smaller. Texas is where we can cut it the most. So do two things:

Vote early. This week if you can. Lines only get longer.
Bring your people. Get the free Abbott Impact app. It shows which of your friends and family haven't voted yet so you can nudge them with one tap. Text five people tonight and ask when they're going.

We don't win Texas by complaining. We win it by showing up.

I'm your Common Sense Gay.

Sources: dates, hours, ID rules, county links and the statewide matchups from CBS News Texas, VoteTexas.gov and FOX 4. Harris County hours and locations from KPRC. El Paso turnout expectations from KVIA. Bexar County from KENS 5.