Early voting in Texas’ May 26 runoff elections begins Monday and runs through Friday, giving voters a short one-week window to cast ballots in several closely watched statewide and congressional contests.

The runoffs are shaping up as a decisive phase in races that include the U.S. Senate, U.S. House seats, and key Texas offices such as attorney general and lieutenant governor—battles that could influence both state leadership and the balance of power in Washington.

The sticker rolls marked “I Voted in Dallas County” were seen at the county’s election operations facility, highlighting preparations across election offices statewide, including in Dallas County.

Why the Runoffs Matter

Texas runoff elections are triggered when no candidate clears 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary. The top two finishers then compete head-to-head in May.

These contests typically draw fewer voters than the primary, meaning a small but highly engaged portion of the electorate often determines the outcome. Campaigns from both parties are now focusing heavily on turnout efforts.

Voting Rules and Eligibility

Early voting is limited to weekdays only—Monday through Friday—with no weekend voting scheduled.

Voters must choose either the Republican or Democratic runoff ballot. Party participation rules are as follows:

• If a voter participated in the March primary, they must vote in the same party’s runoff.
• Voters who skipped the primary may choose either party’s runoff.
• Winners will advance to the November general election.

Key Republican Runoff Races

U.S. Senate Contest

The Republican Senate primary runoff features incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn facing a challenge from outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Cornyn has invested heavily in advertising highlighting Paxton’s personal controversies, while Paxton has positioned himself as aligned with the party’s more conservative base, criticizing Cornyn as disconnected from grassroots voters.

Attorney General Race

The contest to replace Paxton has become a major intra-party showdown.

State Senator Mayes Middleton leads after the March primary and has received endorsements from Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

He faces U.S. Representative Chip Roy, who is backed by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz along with support from several House Republicans.

Railroad Commissioner Race

At the Texas Railroad Commission, incumbent chair Jim Wright is seeking to retain his position against challenger Bo French.

French, a conservative activist, has drawn criticism from within his own party over controversial social media activity.

Key Democratic Runoff Races

Lieutenant Governor Contest

On the Democratic side, State Representative Vikki Goodwin is competing against union representative Marcos Velez for the nomination to challenge incumbent Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in November.

Attorney General Race

State Senator Nathan Johnson came close to securing the nomination outright in March but now faces former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski in the runoff.

U.S. House Race in North Texas

In a closely watched Democratic primary runoff, U.S. Representative Julie Johnson is facing former U.S. Representative Colin Allred, who previously represented the same region before leaving Congress to run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.

Campaigns Focus on Turnout Push

With turnout expected to drop sharply compared to the primary, both parties are intensifying voter outreach efforts in the final days before early voting ends. In many races, just a small fraction of the electorate is expected to decide who advances to November’s general election.

The one-week early voting period now becomes a critical phase in shaping Texas’ political landscape heading into the fall.