More than 7.7 million Texans participated in early voting for the 2026 midterm elections, based on preliminary figures released by the state’s secretary of state as of Sunday morning. This represents a turnout of 40.5%, surpassing the previous modern record for midterm elections set in 2018.
The window for in-person early voting closed on Friday.
Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, commented on the turnout, stating, “While we won’t reach the levels seen in presidential elections, this is certainly a significant turnout.” He also raised an important question that often arises during early voting analysis: “How many votes are still outstanding?”
Currently, over 19 million Texans are registered to vote, reflecting a 2.2% increase since the November 2024 presidential election.
This election cycle is drawing considerable attention due to several pivotal races. State Representative James Talarico, a Democrat from Austin, is in a competitive contest against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat. Meanwhile, state Representative Gina Hinojosa, also from Austin, is challenging Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth term.
It’s important to note that the turnout data released thus far is preliminary and may be incomplete, as each county is responsible for reporting its own figures. Some counties provide updates sooner than others, and mail-in ballots are still anticipated to arrive.
The impressive turnout figures follow a slower start during the first week of early voting, which was behind the pace of the 2018 election. That year, U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke came remarkably close to defeating U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, marking the closest any Democrat has come to winning statewide office in Texas since 1994.
Democratic strategist Matt Angle observed that the recent surge in voter turnout likely indicates increased participation from Hispanic and Black voters. He cautioned, however, against making assumptions about election outcomes based solely on these trends, stating, “Just because more diverse voters are showing up doesn’t guarantee that Democrats will win or Republicans will lose.”
Angle highlighted that urban areas in Texas are experiencing a notable rise in turnout, which he described as favorable for Democratic candidates. Major counties like Harris, Dallas, and Tarrant are recording higher participation rates compared to previous midterm elections, reflecting a more diverse electorate.
In the 2024 general election, early voting saw 9 million ballots cast, resulting in a 49% turnout rate among registered voters at that time. In contrast, the 2022 midterm elections saw only 5.5 million early votes, culminating in a turnout of 31% among registered voters.
The highest turnout rate in recent history occurred during the 2020 election, when 57% of registered voters—approximately 9.7 million people—cast their ballots.
Election Day is set for Tuesday. For further information on voting procedures, please refer to the voter guide.
This story is still developing and will be updated as new information emerges.
