Texas 2024: The stories that most resonated with our readers

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In an election year defined by pivotal primaries and critical events, Texans flocked to our voter guides as essential resources for navigating the polls effectively. One of the most-read stories in March 2024 covered Pornhub blocking access in Texas after the 5th Circuit upheld a law requiring age verification and health warnings for adult content. Parent company Aylo criticized the law as ineffective and announced plans to appeal, while Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling.

In September, a Texas Tribune, ProPublica, and Vote Beat investigation revealed steps taken by Texas officials to clean up the voter rolls. The story not only shed light on the measures but also provided clear instructions for verifying voter registration. Inspired by the article, over 20,000 Texans checked their registration status, showcasing their dedication to active participation in democracy.

From navigating elections to understanding the impact of new laws and government actions, these articles resonated deeply with readers across Texas.

Top stories read by Texans:

• Here’s your Texas 2024 March primary ballot
• Election results: How Texas voted in the 2024 primary
• Cars registered in Texas after 2025 will no longer need to pass a safety inspection, but owners will still pay the fee
• Here’s your ballot for the Nov. 5 Texas elections
• Today is the first day of early voting for the March primary election
• Pornhub suspends site in Texas due to state’s age-verification law

This year, Texas Tribune readers exhibited a keen interest in stories about prominent political figures, especially Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Articles focused on Abbott attracted 1.7 million views in Texas, while those concerning Paxton garnered 1.4 million views.

Stories that appeared most frequently on front pages across Texas

• Texas’ school ratings remain in limbo as the state and school districts fight over how strict the grading should be
• Texas regulators limit oil and gas disposal wells in bid to reduce earthquakes in West Texas

Top stories read by people outside of Texas

Although the Tribune’s focuses on reaching as many Texans across the state as possible, we also have stories that reach a wider audience outside of Texas. Here are the stories that reached beyond just Texan readers.

• Ken Paxton sues New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to Texas woman
• Houston police investigating motive of woman killed after opening fire at Joel Osteen’s megachurch
• Beryl power outage updates: More than 98,000 Texas electricity customers remain without power a week after Beryl
• Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar indicted on charges of bribery, money laundering