Midterms 2026

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov 3.

State guide. Updated Oct 20, 2026.

Texas

Texas elects a U.S. senator, a governor and six other statewide officers, all 38 of its U.S. House members, all 150 state House seats and about half the state Senate. Start with your county to see your whole ballot.

Early voting

Oct 19 to Oct 30

Open now. Hours and sites are set by each county.

Election Day

Tuesday, Nov 3

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7, you can vote.

Photo ID

Required

Seven kinds are accepted. No ID and can't reasonably get one? Bring a supporting document, like a utility bill, and sign a declaration.

Mail ballots

Apply by Oct 23

Only for voters who are 65 or older, disabled, out of their county for the whole voting period, or in another listed group. The application must arrive by Oct 23.

Registration

Closed Oct 5

Check that you are registered at votetexas.gov. Questions: the Secretary of State's hotline, 1-800-252-8683.

Find your county

Loading the counties.

Point at a county to see its name. Click to choose it.

  • County guide published.
  • In production.
  • Your pick.

On every Texas ballot

Eight statewide offices, in ballot order. Candidates are listed as they appear on the ballot, with party in words and in a mark: blue hatch for Democrats, grey dots for Republicans, a grid for everyone else.

U.S. Senate

Open seat. Sen. John Cornyn lost the Republican runoff in May.

The record

Senators write federal law, confirm federal judges and cabinet officers, and ratify treaties. Six-year term. Texas has two seats; this one is open.

  • Ken PaxtonRepublicanTexas attorney general since 2015. Beat Cornyn in the May 26 runoff.
  • James TalaricoDemocratState representative from the Austin area and a former public school teacher.
  • Ted BrownLibertarian

Certified write-in candidates: Avery Ayers, Bradford “Brad” Hall, Zul Mohamed, Jade Simmons.

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21. Write-in candidates: Texas Secretary of State certification, Aug 28, 2026. Background: Ballotpedia, June 3. Click2Houston, Oct 19.

Our take on this is still being written.

Governor

Incumbent Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term.

The record

The governor signs or vetoes bills, calls special sessions of the Legislature and sets what they may take up, appoints thousands of state officials and board members, and commands the Texas National Guard. Four-year term, no term limit.

  • Greg AbbottRepublicanIncumbent. Governor since 2015; attorney general before that.
  • Gina HinojosaDemocratState representative from Austin. Won the March primary.
  • Pat DixonLibertarian

Certified write-in candidates: Edward Earl Giles, Jenn Mack, Jinghpaw Majoishingra, Mike Miller.

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21. Write-in candidates: Texas Secretary of State certification, Aug 28, 2026. Background: Texas Public Radio, March 4. Click2Houston, Oct 19.

Our take on this is still being written.

Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term.

The record

The lieutenant governor presides over the Texas Senate, appoints its committees and decides which bills reach the floor. It is often called the most powerful office in Texas government. Four-year term.

  • Dan PatrickRepublicanIncumbent. Lieutenant governor since 2015.
  • Vikki GoodwinDemocratState representative from Austin.
  • Anthony CristoLibertarian
  • Kevin McCormickGreen

Certified write-in candidates: Arturo Espinosa, Stephen Samuelson.

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21. Write-in candidates: Texas Secretary of State certification, Aug 28, 2026. Background: KBTX, March 4. Courier of Montgomery County.

Our take on this is still being written.

Attorney General

Open seat. Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate.

The record

The state’s lawyer. The attorney general defends Texas law in court, sues the federal government and companies, enforces consumer protection and child support, and issues legal opinions that bind state agencies. Four-year term.

  • Mayes MiddletonRepublicanState senator from Galveston. Beat U.S. Rep. Chip Roy in the runoff.
  • Nathan JohnsonDemocratState senator from Dallas. Won the runoff.
  • Tom OxfordLibertarian

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21. Background: KBTX, March 4. Courier of Montgomery County.

Our take on this is still being written.

Comptroller

Open seat. Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock lost the Republican primary.

The record

Texas’s tax collector, accountant and revenue forecaster. The comptroller’s revenue estimate caps what the Legislature can spend, including on public schools. Four-year term.

  • Don HuffinesRepublicanFormer state senator from Dallas.
  • Sarah EckhardtDemocratState senator from Austin.
  • V. Alonzo Echavarria-GarzaLibertarian
  • Shehla FaiziGreen

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21. Background: KBTX, March 4.

Our take on this is still being written.

Land Commissioner

Incumbent Dawn Buckingham is seeking a second term.

The record

Runs the General Land Office, which manages state land and mineral rights that pay into the school fund, plus the Alamo, coastal protection and disaster housing recovery. Four-year term.

  • Dawn BuckinghamRepublicanIncumbent. Land commissioner since 2023.
  • Benjamin FloresDemocrat
  • Neill SniderLibertarian

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21.

Our take on this is still being written.

Agriculture Commissioner

Incumbent Sid Miller is not on the ballot.

The record

Regulates agriculture, runs school meal programs, and checks that gas pumps and grocery scales are accurate. Four-year term.

  • Nate SheetsRepublican
  • Clayton TuckerDemocrat
  • Austin R. KellyLibertarian

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21.

Our take on this is still being written.

Railroad Commissioner

Incumbent Jim Wright is not on the ballot.

The record

Despite the name, the Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas, pipelines and coal mining. It has nothing to do with railroads. One of three seats; six-year term.

  • Bo FrenchRepublican
  • Jon RosenthalDemocratState representative from Houston.
  • Arthur DiBiancaLibertarian

Follow the count on Nov 3

Candidates and parties: Texas Secretary of State, November 3, 2026 sample ballot (sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/2026-sample-ballot.pdf), checked Oct 21.

Our take on this is still being written.

Also statewide: seats on the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. Those write-ups are in production.