The candidate submitting interval closes right now, setting the sphere for an thrilling March 3 major election in Bexar County.
That’s when Democrats and Republicans every select their nominees for the November 2026 midterm, that includes the Texas governor’s race, a U.S. Senate contest, a Bexar County Decide race and rather more on the poll.
All registered Texas voters are eligible to take part within the major election, however can solely select one celebration’s ticket — which means they’re both deciding on which candidates Republicans nominate to look on the poll in November or they’re deciding who Democrats put ahead as their nominees.
Third celebration teams select their candidates in a different way and don’t have a poll to pick out within the March 3 major. For instance, Libertarians title their nominees at a celebration conference, and people candidates later seem alongside Republican and Democratic nominees on the overall election poll in November.
Do it’s a must to register with a celebration to vote within the major?
Regardless of Republicans’ finest efforts to restrict who participates of their major elections, Texas voters are nonetheless free to forged a poll in both the Republican or Democratic major, no matter their celebration affiliation.
Election officers will merely ask which celebration’s poll you’d like earlier than coming into the voting sales space.
Nonetheless, voters who take part within the first spherical of the first should proceed utilizing the identical celebration’s poll in the event that they need to vote within the Could 26 major runoff — a second spherical of voting precipitated when a race doesn’t have a candidate take at the very least 50% of the vote in March.
Runoffs are seemingly in contests with many candidates, such because the Republican U.S. Senate major, the place U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) faces two GOP challengers spending huge cash to take him on. Public polling reveals not one of the candidates taking greater than about 30% of the vote in a crowded first spherical.
Democrats might additionally see runoffs. Their very own U.S. Senate major options two high-profile candidates, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas) and state Rep. James Talarico (D-Spherical Rock), and appears seemingly so as to add a 3rd, if U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) decides to run. Bexar County Democrats are additionally selecting from an extended listing of candidates vying to exchange exiting District Legal professional Joe Gonzales.
Mark your calendars for a March 3 major election that many political watchers contemplate to be much more vital than the overall election in November.
The San Antonio Report could have an all-encompassing voter information explaining all of the races in your major poll earlier than early voting begins.
Key dates to know for the March 3 major
Dec. 8: Deadline for candidates to file for the 2026 major
Jan. 15: Marketing campaign finance experiences are due, exhibiting how a lot candidates and PACs have raised and spent from July 1 to Dec. 31
Feb. 2: Final day to register to vote for the March major
Feb. 20: Final day to use for a mail poll
Feb. 17 – 27: Early voting for the first
March 3: Texas major election
When is the first runoff in Texas?
In any race the place no candidate receives at the very least 50% of the vote within the March 3 major election, the highest two vote takers will advance to a Could 26 major runoff to find out the winner.
Bear in mind, you don’t need to vote within the major to take part within the runoff. However if you happen to did forged a poll within the major, you’re solely eligible to vote in that very same celebration’s runoff election.
Key dates to notice for the first runoff:
April 27: Final day to register to vote within the Could major runoff
Could 18 – Could 22: Early voting for the first runoff
Could 26: Texas major runoff election
