Here’s your Texas 2026 March primary ballot
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Texas will hold its 2026 primary elections on March 3. Here are all of the candidates who have filed for the Democratic and Republican primary elections, according to the Secretary of State. Voters in each primary will choose which candidates they want to represent their party in the November general election.
On the ballot are many statewide seats, including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, comptroller and more. Republicans and Democrats will also choose candidates for congressional and legislative offices, the State Board of Education and judicial seats.
Early voting begins Feb. 17. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff on May 26. Texas is an open-primary state, meaning voters can decide every two years whether to pick Republican or Democratic nominees (or hold out and instead go to third-party conventions for the Green or Libertarian parties).
Of note: whichever primary you decide to vote in, you can vote only in that same party’s runoff. You can, however, vote for either party's candidates in the general election.
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order in this ballot guide. Elections in Texas are run by the 254 counties, and each county determines the order of candidates on the ballots printed there. To see each county’s ballot order, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s site.
If you share your address below, we’ll personalize the results for you by showing the races you get to vote in. (Don’t worry: We don’t store your information.)
Republicans redrew Congressional districts last year, in an effort to gain more seats. The U.S. House districts shown below are based on those new maps.
You’ll also see county and local elections on your ballot. Sample ballots for specific counties can be found through this list of county websites maintained by the Texas Secretary of State.
U.S. Senate
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term and faces seven candidates in the Republican primary, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. Meanwhile, the Democratic primary has at least three candidates, including U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico. U.S. senators, along with U.S. representatives, are responsible for passing federal laws and an annual budget to fund the military and federal agencies. Senators also approve or reject treaties, heads of federal departments and federal judges, which have become increasingly important in deciding policy debates.
Governor
The governor is the chief executive of Texas. In addition to leading the state and its military forces during emergencies, the governor holds power through influence and makes roughly 1,500 state appointments during a four-year term. The governor’s legislative powers include signing or vetoing bills and laying out emergency items for state lawmakers. The seat has not been held by a Democrat since 1995. Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term and faces many Republican primary challengers. There are also many candidates in the Democratic primary, including state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
Attorney General
The attorney general is the top lawyer in Texas, representing or defending the state in mostly civil litigation. The attorney general can bring forward or participate in lawsuits against the federal government, corporations or others on behalf of the public, as Paxton has done over immigration and abortion policies. The attorney general can also make legal interpretations and issue opinions on legal questions. Paxton has to step down from the office because he is running for U.S. Senate. Several Republicans are running to succeed Paxton: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, state Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman and Aaron Reitz, a former top DOJ official. In the Democratic primary, state Sen. Nathan Johnson is among the candidates.
Lieutenant Governor
The lieutenant governor is the second-highest executive in the state, presides over the state Senate and can heavily influence the state budget. The lieutenant governor is in charge of the Senate’s agenda and has final say when there’s a tie vote on a piece of legislation. This gives the office a lot of influence over which bills make it to the governor’s desk. Republican Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term and faces three challengers in the primary. In the Democratic primary, there are three candidates, including state Rep. Vikki Goodwin.
Comptroller
The comptroller is responsible for managing the state’s money, collecting taxes, awarding state contracts, and forecasting the amount of money that’s available for the state’s budget. The comptroller’s office also holds tremendous authority over Texas’ new school voucher program, which will allow families to receive taxpayer money to cover their children’s private school or home-schooling costs. Republican Kelly Hancock, a former state senator, became the acting comptroller in 2025 and is running to keep the position. He faces Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines in the Republican primary. In the Democratic primary, current state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt is among the candidates vying for the party’s nomination.
Land Commissioner
The commissioner of the General Land Office manages 13 million acres of state land, including land used to help fund public education through the Permanent School Fund. The office also administers federal aid after natural disasters and manages the historic Alamo site. Under current Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, the office has acquired land for state-funded border wall construction. Buckingham, a former state senator, faces no Republican challengers.
Agriculture Commissioner
The agriculture department supports farmers and regulates the agriculture industry, which includes overseeing pesticide use, certifying organic produce and ensuring the accuracy of measuring devices found in grocery and retail stores. The agriculture commissioner also administers school lunch and other nutrition programs. Republican Sid Miller is seeking a fourth term and faces one primary challenger.
U.S. House
Texas has 38 congressional seats, and all are up for election this year. A new congressional map passed by Republican state lawmakers and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott is engineered to give Republicans control of more districts. Numerous Republican candidates have stepped forward to run in the newly-formed districts, while several Democratic incumbents were pushed into nearby districts already occupied by another Democrat, forcing them to contemplate primaries or retire. National Republicans hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress right now and are hoping to pick up additional seats in Texas.
Railroad Commissioner
In Texas, the Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas production, including drilling permits and waste disposal through underground wells. It was originally established to regulate railroad tariffs, but railroads are now overseen by a division of the Texas Department of Transportation. Members of the three-person board are elected statewide. One seat is up for election in 2026. In the Republican primary, Commissioner Jim Wright is seeking his second term and faces several challengers. In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Jon Rosenthal is uncontested.
Texas Supreme Court
The Texas Supreme Court is the state’s highest civil court and has decided on a wide-range of high-profile cases, including upholding the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors and rejecting a challenge to Texas’ abortion ban. Four of the nine seats on the Supreme Court, including chief justice, are up for election in 2026. Justices are elected statewide, and Republicans currently hold all the seats. All four Republican incumbents up for election face no challengers. In the Democratic primary, two races have more than one candidate.
Texas Court Of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the state’s highest criminal court. In addition to hearing appeals from lower courts, the court hears all death penalty cases, as well as “habeas corpus” appeals from convicted felons who claim they were unlawfully punished or detained. The nine members are elected statewide and are currently all Republicans. Only three seats are up for election in 2026. In the Republican primary, incumbent Kevin Yeary is uncontested. Several new candidates are vying for the other seats, which are held by outgoing incumbents. All candidates in the Democratic primary are uncontested.
State Board Of Education
There are 15 districts within the State Board of Education, which sets curriculum standards and approves instructional materials for Texas public schools. The board also works closely with the Commissioner of Education and Texas Education Agency to develop policies and approve new charter schools. Eight district seats are up for election this year, including six currently held by Republicans and two by Democrats. Of those seats, four incumbents are seeking re-election. In the crowded Republican primary, only one race is uncontested: Julie Pickren faces no challengers.
Texas Senate
In the 31-member Texas Senate, only 16 seats are up for election in 2026. In addition to passing new laws and the state budget, the Texas Senate must confirm most appointments by the governor for boards and commissions. Two Republican incumbents who are seeking re-election face primary opponents: Bob Hall and Charles Schwertner. In the Democratic primary, only incumbent Judith Zaffirini faces a primary challenger.
Texas House
There are 150 members of the Texas House, the lower chamber of the Texas Legislature. The state Legislature meets every other year to pass a two-year state budget that funds public schools and state agencies and often includes other measures like lowering property taxes. State lawmakers can also pass new laws that affect Texans across the state or address the needs of residents in their district. Each state representative serves a two-year term.
Disclosure: The Texas secretary of state, Julie Johnson, Katherine Culbert, Merrie Fox, Stan Lambert, Donna Howard, Senfronia Thompson, Brooks Landgraf, Vikki Goodwin, Joe Jaworski, Janet Dudding and Denise Wooten have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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