All articles tagged with #texas elections
Texas reached a record 19 million registered voters ahead of the November 3 midterms, up 7.7% from 2022. This surge occurred despite a major software error at the Department of Public Safety that delayed nearly 600,000 applications. Suburban counties saw significant growth, while Tarrant County saw a decline. Early voting begins Monday.
Early voting begins Oct. 19 in Texas, where 19 million registered voters must navigate strict photo ID laws, limited mail-in options, and recent registration data errors. While Republicans emphasize security, Democrats and voting rights groups argue these rules suppress turnout, particularly among minorities and younger voters.
Texas county election officials are processing a new backlog of 15,000 voter registration records just four days before early voting starts, following a separate state error. This latest issue affects address updates submitted via the Texas.gov website between September 1 and last week. Officials must quickly verify which records were submitted before the October 5 deadline to ensure they are updated in time for the November 3 election. This comes shortly after counties cleared a massive backlog of over 500,000 records caused by a Department of Public Safety software error. The Texas Secretary of State’s Office is offering grants to help counties cover overtime costs, while election officials criticize the state’s voter registration system for creating unsustainable unpredictability.
New polling indicates Democrats James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa are narrowing their gaps against Republican incumbents Ken Paxton and Greg Abbott in Texas, though Republicans maintain a significant financial advantage.
A system error at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) prevented tens of thousands of voter registration applications from reaching county officials. The backlog, which includes records dating back to October 2025, has forced local election offices to scramble to process data before the October 5 registration deadline and October 19 early voting start. While state officials assure voters that provisional ballots will be counted, the error has sparked political criticism and logistical strain, with some estimates suggesting up to 750,000 applications may be affected.
A technical error at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has caused a massive backlog of voter registration applications to suddenly reach county offices. Some records date back to October 2025, creating a logistical crisis for local officials just weeks before the October 5 registration deadline. While state officials claim the issue is resolved, Democrats are demanding an investigation and resources to process the surge.
A system error at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) prevented tens of thousands of voter registration applications and updates from reaching county officials. The backlog, which includes records dating back to October 2025, has forced counties to process a sudden surge of data just weeks before the October 5 registration deadline. While DPS claims the issue is resolved, officials are struggling to verify records, and Democrats are demanding state funding to address the administrative burden.
An administrative error by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has left tens of thousands of voter registration applications unprocessed in county offices. The issue, discovered last week, stems from incomplete records generated through the DPS online driver’s license portal, which failed to transmit to county registrars. While the state has begun backfilling these records, the sudden influx creates a significant backlog for counties just weeks before the October 5 registration deadline. Officials assure voters that provisional ballots will be counted if their registration is verified, but the error has sparked political criticism and logistical strain for local election offices.
New polls indicate the 2026 Texas U.S. Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico is effectively tied, while the governor's race remains competitive. The Texas GOP faces internal fractures and a significant loss of support among Hispanic voters, who now prioritize economic concerns over immigration.
With two months until Election Day, Texas Democrats are experiencing their most competitive statewide cycle in decades. James Talarico leads the U.S. Senate race against Ken Paxton, while Austin Rep. Gina Hinojosa narrows the gap with Gov. Greg Abbott. National forecasters now view the Senate race as a toss-up, driven by voter anger over data centers and economic concerns.
Federal and Texas officials announced criminal charges against seven individuals in Tarrant County for allegedly voting in federal elections while not U.S. citizens. Simultaneously, the Texas Secretary of State referred 117 potential noncitizen voting cases to the Attorney General for investigation. The state also confirmed that 578 voters previously flagged as potential noncitizens are actually citizens, ordering their reinstatement on voter rolls. These actions align with a broader Trump administration push to investigate noncitizen voting ahead of the November 3 midterms.
Approximately 1.2 million Texas voters are currently on the state's 'suspense' list, a status triggered by undeliverable mail rather than registration cancellation. Officials emphasize that these voters remain eligible to cast ballots in the November 2026 midterms, provided they update their addresses by the October 5 deadline or utilize specific voting procedures at the polls.
A new University of Texas poll finds the U.S. Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton statistically tied, while Republicans hold a lead in the governor's race. Opposition to local data centers remains high across all voter groups. Simultaneously, Talarico's campaign filed a motion to unseal depositions involving Paxton's past legal disputes.
A Texas Southern University poll of 500 Black Texans found strong support for Democrat James Talarico over Republican Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race, with 79% backing Talarico and 12% Paxton; Crockett’s defeat barely dents Black turnout (7% say they’re less likely to vote). A separate statewide TSU survey shows Talarico leading Paxton 47% to 45% within the margin of error, while Crockett endorsed Talarico and called for unity amid lingering tensions. Talarico has launched a $25 million Black outreach push to mobilize Black voters.
Democrat James Talarico, challenging Ken Paxton in Texas’s U.S. Senate race, accuses Paxton of voting in six elections from an address he no longer lives at, based on ProPublica and Texas Tribune reporting that prompted a secretary of state complaint. Paxton has not answered reporters’ questions; experts say the residency issue could raise legal questions, while the secretary of state reviews the complaint and no outcome is known.