The person behind the name
Ken Paxton’s public career runs from the Texas Legislature to three terms as attorney general, a tenure defined by lawsuits against federal policy and by legal proceedings over his own conduct.
Paxton is the 51st attorney general of Texas. His official biography says he was elected on November 4, 2014, sworn in on January 5, 2015, and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. He won the May 26, 2026 Republican primary runoff against incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn. The Texas Secretary of State’s final ballot certification, dated August 28, 2026, lists him as the Republican candidate for U.S. senator on the November 3 ballot. [1][4][7][8]
Education and professional preparation
The official biography says he graduated from Baylor University with a B.A. in psychology and an M.B.A., and served as student body president. He then received a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ballotpedia dates the Baylor degrees to 1985 and 1986 and the law degree to 1991. [8][9]
The same biography lists his legal career: attorney at Strasburger & Price, LLP; in-house counsel for J.C. Penney Company; and 14 years at the head of his own law firm in McKinney. [8]
From the Legislature to statewide office
He was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002 and represented House District 70 for 10 years. In 2012 he was elected to the Texas Senate from District 8, in Collin and Dallas counties. Ballotpedia News gives his House service as 2003 to 2013 and his Senate service as 2013 to 2015. [6][8]
In 2014 he finished first in a three-way Republican primary for attorney general, won the runoff against Dan Branch with 65 percent and won the general election with 58.8 percent, according to Ballotpedia’s compilation of results. He was re-elected in 2018 with 50.6 percent to Democrat Justin Nelson’s 47.0 percent. In 2022 he won a primary runoff against George P. Bush with 68.0 percent and the general election with 53.4 percent. [9]
The 2026 Senate race
In the March 3, 2026 Republican primary, Cornyn received 42 percent, Paxton 40.5 percent and Wesley Hunt 13.5 percent, the Texas Tribune reported. President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton on May 19. One week later Paxton won the runoff. As of 6 a.m. the next morning he had about 64 percent of the vote to roughly 35 percent for Cornyn, according to The Texas Newsroom; those are unofficial figures, not canvassed totals. [4][5][19]
A note on impeachment and acquittal. In Texas the House impeaches and the Senate conducts the trial. The House adopted 20 articles against Paxton on May 27, 2023, which suspended him from office. The Senate acquitted him on 16 articles on September 16, 2023 and dismissed the other four, which restored him to office. He was impeached; he was not convicted or removed. [10][11][12]
Life & public service
From a suburban Dallas House seat to the top of the Republican ticket, the documented milestones include both elections and legal proceedings.
Elected to the Texas House
Won House District 70, which he represented for 10 years. His official biography says he also headed his own law firm in McKinney for 14 years. [8]
Third term
Won a primary runoff against George P. Bush with 68.0 percent and the general election against Democrat Rochelle Garza with 53.4 percent. [9]
Securities case ends without trial
On March 26, prosecutors agreed to drop the charges under an 18-month pretrial agreement requiring community service, legal ethics courses and restitution. He entered no plea. [13]
Legal matters close; Supreme Court win
The Texas Supreme Court dismissed the State Bar’s suit in January. In April the Associated Press reported that federal prosecutors had declined to charge him, and a Travis County judge awarded four former aides $6.6 million in their whistleblower suit. On June 27 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas’s age-verification law in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. [15][17][21][26]
Accomplishments, in the record
Official biographies, court documents and election results establish the following work. Outcomes are described at the level supported by those records, with shared credit where the Legislature or other officials were the principal actors.
Twelve years in the House and Senate
His official biography records ten years representing House District 70, beginning with his 2002 election, and his 2012 election to Senate District 8 in Collin and Dallas counties. Ballotpedia News gives the Senate service as 2013 to 2015. [6][8]
The campaign says he “was consistently ranked among the most conservative lawmakers.” Its page does not name the ranking bodies. The Texas Legislature’s bill-history site could not be read in this review, so this profile attributes no individual bill to him. [25]
Three statewide wins for attorney general
Ballotpedia’s results show 2,742,646 votes (58.8 percent) in 2014 against Democrat Sam Houston; 4,193,207 votes (50.6 percent) in 2018 against Justin Nelson; and 4,278,986 votes (53.4 percent) in 2022 against Rochelle Garza. [9]
Two of the three nominations required runoffs: 65 percent against Dan Branch in 2014 and 68.0 percent against George P. Bush in 2022. The state’s own results database could not be read in this review, so the figures carry Ballotpedia’s attribution. [9]
Leading the state’s law office
The office’s biography says he leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices, including nearly 750 attorneys who handle more than 30,000 cases a year. [8]
It also says he filed 27 lawsuits against the Obama administration during a two-year stretch, six of which were heard in the U.S. Supreme Court, and obtained “an injunction or other winning ruling in more than 75 percent of the cases he’s brought against the federal government.” Those are the office’s own figures. No independent tally was located in this review. [8]
Suing Purdue; settling with McKinsey
The office’s opioid page records that Texas sued Purdue Pharma on May 15, 2018, alleging deceptive trade practices and misrepresentation of the addiction risk of painkillers including OxyContin. It records a $38.4 million settlement with McKinsey on February 4, 2021. [22]
The campaign credits him with “bringing billions in settlement dollars home to Texas.” The page read for this review documents these two actions; it does not total the state’s opioid recoveries, and multistate settlements are shared work among attorneys general. [22][25]
A Supreme Court win on H.B. 1181
The Legislature enacted H.B. 1181 in 2023. It requires certain commercial websites that publish sexually explicit content to verify that visitors are 18 or older. Industry representatives sued the attorney general to block enforcement, which made Paxton the named respondent. [21]
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s judgment, holding that the law “triggers, and survives, review under intermediate scrutiny.” Justice Thomas wrote for six justices; Justice Kagan dissented, joined by Justices Sotomayor and Jackson. The law was the Legislature’s; the attorney general’s role was to enforce and defend it. [21]
Family & community
His official biography and his campaign biography both say he has four children — Tucker, Abby, Mattie and Katie — and five grandchildren. [8][25]
Both biographies note that he was student body president at Baylor University. Neither names a church, a religious affiliation or military service, and this profile makes no claim about any of them. [8][25]
His mission for Texas
“Now, he’s bringing that same Texas toughness to the U.S. Senate.”
The following summarizes the agenda on Paxton’s official campaign website. These are stated positions, not completed accomplishments. One section of the issues page is directed at his opponent rather than at policy and is not summarized here. [23][24]
01Trump’s agenda
The issues page calls him “a loyal supporter of President Trump” and says he would carry the president’s priorities in the Senate, including tax cuts, border security and deportations. [24]
02Border and immigration
The page says he “is running to help President Trump finish the border wall and protect our national sovereignty” and would work to “help President Trump deport the criminal illegal aliens.” [24]
03Food and drug companies
The page says pharmaceutical and food companies “have put profits ahead of the health of the American people” and calls for “transparency, accountability, and the freedom to make informed choices about their health.” [24]
04Guns, abortion and gender policy
The page says he will “protect our gun rights, defend the unborn, and defeat the radical transgender movement.” The section names no bill. [24]
05Taxes and spending
The page describes him as a fiscal conservative “who will fight to cut taxes and stop the wasteful spending.” It names no specific tax or program. [24]
06Foreign policy
The page says his “top priority will always be the American people” and invokes “peace through strength.” [24]
07Cryptocurrency
The page says “America must be the crypto capital of the world and support innovation and growth.” It names one bill, the CLARITY Act. [24]
08The Senate filibuster
The Texas Tribune reported that Trump, in his endorsement, cited Paxton’s commitment to ending the Senate filibuster. The Tribune also reported that Paxton had offered to consider leaving the race if the Senate passed the SAVE America Act. [4]
How to assess a proposal. A campaign plan states an intention. Enactment, implementation costs, replacement revenue, and measured results are separate questions. These priorities should be read alongside the documented record above.
The fuller record
A useful profile includes policy tradeoffs, the limits of a claim, and responses to material criticism.
The 2023 impeachment and acquittal
The Republican-led Texas House adopted 20 articles of impeachment on May 27, 2023 by 121–23. The Texas Tribune reported that the articles accused him of “accepting bribes, disregarding his official duties and misapplying public resources” to help Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor. Paxton called the vote “illegal, unethical, and profoundly unjust.” On September 16 the Senate acquitted him on 16 articles; no article drew more than 14 of the 21 votes needed to convict, and the Senate dismissed the other four 19–11. He called the process a “sham impeachment.” The verdict is the judgment of a court of impeachment, not of a criminal court. [4][10][11][12][18]
Securities charges and the 2024 agreement
He was indicted in July 2015 on three felony securities charges. Prosecutors alleged he persuaded investors to buy stock in a technology company, Servergy, without disclosing that he would be compensated, and that he steered clients to an investment adviser without registering with the state. On March 26, 2024, prosecutors agreed to drop the charges if he completed 100 hours of community service and 15 hours of legal ethics courses and paid about $271,000 in restitution within 18 months. He entered no plea; his attorney said the agreement contained “no admission of any wrongdoing.” Paxton said: “There will never be a conviction in this case nor am I guilty.” The Tribune has since described the charges as dropped. The allegations were never tested at trial. [4][13][14]
Whistleblowers and the federal investigation
Senior aides reported Paxton to the FBI in September 2020 over his dealings with Nate Paul and were later fired; four sued under the Texas Whistleblower Act. He offered a $3.3 million settlement, which needed an appropriation from the Legislature; when he asked the House for the money in 2023, lawmakers wanted him to answer questions publicly. In January 2024 he said he would no longer contest the facts. The Texas Supreme Court then ruled he need not be deposed because liability was “uncontested.” The aides’ attorney, Tom Nesbitt, said Paxton acted “to avoid having to give testimony”; the office called the ruling a “major win.” On April 4, 2025, Travis County District Judge Catherine Mauzy awarded the four aides $6.6 million, finding by a “preponderance of the evidence” that the office had violated the Texas Whistleblower Act, the Tribune reported. Paxton called it “a ridiculous judgment that is not based on the facts or the law” and said he would appeal. KUT reported on July 4, 2025 that he had dropped the appeal and that the Legislature would still have to appropriate the money. The judgment is against the office in a civil case; it followed the office’s decision not to contest the facts, not a trial of them. The Associated Press reported on April 3, 2025 that the Justice Department had declined to prosecute him, citing two unnamed people; the department declined to comment. [15][18][26][27]
The 2020 election suit and the State Bar
The Supreme Court docket lists Paxton as counsel of record in Texas v. Pennsylvania, filed December 7, 2020. On December 11 the Court denied leave to file “for lack of standing,” saying Texas had “not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections.” Justices Alito and Thomas would have allowed the filing but granted no other relief. The State Bar’s Commission for Lawyer Discipline sued him in May 2022, alleging what the Tribune described as a “frivolous lawsuit in bad faith.” In January 2025 the commission moved to drop the case after losing a nearly identical one, and the Texas Supreme Court dismissed it as moot. The dismissal did not rule on the accuracy of the 2020 filing. [16][17]
2026 reporting on disclosures and voting address
On September 4, 2026, the Texas Tribune and ProPublica reported that Paxton’s candidate financial disclosures listed seven homes and no income from any of them, although all but one had been listed for rent during the reporting periods, and that the filings did not list mortgages on three Utah condominiums. “Receiving income and not reporting it is a violation of federal disclosure law, three ethics experts said,” the report stated. Paxton declined an interview and, the newsrooms wrote, “did not answer detailed questions about how he filled out the disclosure forms.” Campaign spokesperson Madison Cercy called the questions “partisan allegations” and “a bad attempt to manufacture controversy where none exists.” These are the findings of two news organizations and the experts they consulted. The report does not establish that any agency has made a finding, and this review did not read the filings themselves. [28] Separately, on July 7, 2026, the same newsrooms reported that Paxton “appears to have used an address where he did not live while voting in six elections in the past two years.” Three election lawyers told the newsrooms he “may have violated the same Texas laws his office cautioned about.” The campaign’s spokesperson called it “a baseless, lie-filled tabloid story”; the newsrooms wrote that it was “unclear where Paxton has lived for the past two years.” The article reports no complaint, investigation or charge. It is the newsrooms’ reading of public records, not the finding of an election authority or a court. [29]
Criticism from within his own party
More than 70 percent of House Republicans backed impeachment in 2023, the Tribune reported. In the 2026 runoff, Cornyn called him “a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about.” Trump endorsed Paxton as “a true MAGA Warrior,” and Paxton won; on runoff night he said, “Tonight, we just sent a Texas-sized message to Washington.” In September 2026 the Tribune reported that recent polling showed Talarico with a lead within the margin of error, while Ballotpedia News noted forecasters rated the race Likely Republican as of May. Polls and ratings are snapshots, not results. [4][6][14][19][20]
What the campaign’s litigation claims establish
The campaign says he “sued the Biden administration over 100 times” and brought “billions” in opioid settlements to Texas; the office says he won favorable rulings in more than 75 percent of the cases he brought against the federal government. Neither page itemizes those counts. The records cited here establish specific filings and outcomes, including a Supreme Court win on H.B. 1181 and a Supreme Court loss in Texas v. Pennsylvania. They do not establish an independently audited win rate or settlement total attributable to Paxton alone. [8][16][21][25]
Questions & answers
Who is Ken Paxton?
Ken Paxton is the 51st attorney general of Texas, first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. He previously served in the Texas House and the Texas Senate and practiced law in McKinney. [8]
What office is Ken Paxton running for in 2026?
Who is Ken Paxton running against?
When is the election?
What are Ken Paxton’s main campaign priorities?
His campaign website lists support for President Trump’s agenda, finishing the border wall and deportations, action against food and drug companies, gun rights and opposition to abortion, tax and spending cuts, an America-first foreign policy and cryptocurrency growth. [24]
What has Ken Paxton done in office?
As attorney general he has led an office of more than 4,000 employees, sued Purdue Pharma over opioids in 2018, and was the named respondent when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas’s age-verification law in 2025. The Court rejected his 2020 election suit, Texas v. Pennsylvania, for lack of standing. [8][16][21][22]
The sources behind the story
Primary government documents anchor the record. Official biographies establish attributed background; original reporting supplies election results and scrutiny. Campaign materials are used for the candidate’s own priorities and claims.
- 01Ballot Certification Report: 2026 November General ElectionTexas Secretary of State · Certified Aug. 28, 2026
Final ballot certification signed by Deputy Secretary of State Dave Nelson. Under U.S. Senator it lists Ken Paxton (REP), James Talarico (DEM) and Ted Brown (LIB). It names the candidates; it reports no vote totals.Government / regulatory record - 02Certified Write-in Candidates for Statewide and District Offices for the November 3, 2026 General ElectionTexas Secretary of State · Certified Aug. 28, 2026
Companion certification of declared write-in candidates. Four are listed for U.S. Senator. Write-in candidates do not appear by name on the printed ballot.Government / regulatory record - 03Current Elections Information List: November 3, 2026 General ElectionTexas Secretary of State · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The Secretary of State’s index page for the November 3, 2026 election. It links the ballot certification and the certified write-in list cited here.Government / regulatory record - 04Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn for U.S. Senate GOP nominationThe Texas Tribune · May 26, 2026
Runoff-night report by Gabby Birenbaum, Kayla Guo and Alejandra Martinez. Establishes the result, the general-election matchup and both candidates’ statements. It gives no vote percentages.Independent reporting - 05Texas runoff results: Paxton wins GOP U.S. Senate nomination, plus other key statewide race resultsKERA News / The Texas Newsroom · May 26, 2026
Lucio Vasquez’s results report, updated May 27, 2026. Gives unofficial percentages as of 6 a.m. the morning after the runoff and the time of the Associated Press call. These are not canvassed totals.Independent reporting - 06James Talarico (D), Ken Paxton (R), and five other candidates are running in the general election for U.S. Senate in Texas on November 3, 2026Ballotpedia News · June 3, 2026
David Luchs’s race summary: years of Paxton’s legislative service, Talarico’s background and a May 2026 race rating. Its count of other candidates predates the August 28 state certification.Independent analysis / professional record - 07Here’s your 2026 Texas ballot for the November electionThe Texas Tribune · Sept. 1, 2026
Apurva Mahajan’s ballot guide, compiled from the Secretary of State’s candidate list. Confirms the Paxton–Talarico matchup, the October 5 registration deadline and the October 19–30 early-voting period.Independent reporting - 08About the Attorney GeneralOffice of the Attorney General of Texas · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Official biography: election and swearing-in dates, education, legal career, legislative districts and family. Its litigation counts and its success rate in cases against the federal government are the office’s own figures, not an independent audit.Government / regulatory record - 09Ken PaxtonBallotpedia · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Used for vote totals in his 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022 elections and for degree years. The Secretary of State’s results database could not be read in this review, so these figures carry Ballotpedia’s attribution rather than the state’s.Independent analysis / professional record - 10Court of Impeachment: Warren Kenneth Paxton, Jr.Texas Senate · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The Senate’s official page for the 2023 trial. It records the House’s adoption of 20 articles on May 27, 2023 and the trial’s September 5 start, and links the September 16, 2023 judgment. The linked PDFs could not be opened in this review.Government / regulatory record - 11Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties; will face Senate trialThe Texas Tribune · May 27, 2023
Zach Despart and James Barragán’s report of the House vote: the 121–23 tally, the substance of the articles, the automatic suspension and Paxton’s response.Independent reporting - 12Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachmentThe Texas Tribune · Sept. 16, 2023
Zach Despart’s report of the Senate verdict: acquittal on 16 articles, the 21-vote threshold, the 19–11 dismissal of the remaining four articles, and Paxton’s statement.Independent reporting - 13Ken Paxton agrees to community service, paying restitution to avoid trial in securities fraud caseThe Texas Tribune · Mar. 26, 2024
Jasper Scherer’s report of the pretrial agreement that ended the 2015 state securities case: its terms, the absence of a plea, the original allegations and statements from both sides.Independent reporting - 14Ken Paxton’s legal woes are lifting, clearing a path for a likely Senate runThe Texas Tribune · Apr. 3, 2025
Kayla Guo’s survey of the status of each legal matter in April 2025: the securities agreement’s terms, the State Bar dismissal, the federal declination and the pending whistleblower suit.Independent reporting - 15Justice Department declined to prosecute Ken Paxton in final weeks of Biden’s term, AP sources sayAssociated Press / The Texas Tribune · Apr. 3, 2025
Associated Press report by Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker, republished by the Tribune, that federal prosecutors declined to charge Paxton. It rests on two unnamed people familiar with the matter; the department declined to comment.Independent reporting - 16Docket for No. 22O155: Texas v. Pennsylvania, et al.Supreme Court of the United States · Dec. 11, 2020
Official docket. Lists Ken Paxton as counsel of record for Texas, the December 7, 2020 filing and the December 11 order denying leave to file for lack of standing. It does not rule on the accuracy of the complaint’s claims.Government / regulatory record - 17Texas Supreme Court dismisses state bar’s lawsuit against Ken Paxton for challenging 2020 presidential electionThe Texas Tribune · Jan. 23, 2025
Jasper Scherer’s report of the end of the State Bar’s disciplinary suit, filed in May 2022: the commission moved to drop it after losing a nearly identical case, and the court dismissed it as moot.Independent reporting - 18Ken Paxton can’t be deposed under oath in whistleblower lawsuit, Texas Supreme Court saysThe Texas Tribune · Nov. 22, 2024
Zach Despart’s report on the four former aides’ Whistleblower Act suit: the 2020 report to the FBI, the unfunded $3.3 million settlement, the office’s decision to stop contesting the facts, and the court’s deposition ruling.Independent reporting - 19Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoffThe Texas Tribune · May 19, 2026
Gabby Birenbaum’s report of the endorsement, with the March 3 primary percentages and Cornyn’s response. An endorsement establishes political support, not an evaluation of the record.Independent reporting - 20Paxton campaign makes first major ad buy in Senate raceThe Texas Tribune · Sept. 15, 2026
Gabby Birenbaum’s report on the fall campaign. Characterises recent polling without citing a specific survey; polls are snapshots, not results.Independent reporting - 21Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-1122: syllabus and opinionSupreme Court of the United States (text hosted by Cornell Legal Information Institute) · Decided June 27, 2025
The Court’s opinion upholding Texas’s age-verification law, read on Cornell’s mirror because the Court’s own PDF address could not be located. Establishes the holding and the 6–3 lineup; it does not describe the attorney general’s litigation strategy.Government / regulatory record - 22Opioid CrisisOffice of the Attorney General of Texas · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The office’s initiative page. Documents the May 15, 2018 suit against Purdue Pharma and a $38.4 million McKinsey settlement on February 4, 2021. It does not total the state’s opioid recoveries.Government / regulatory record - 23Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate: official campaign homepageKen Paxton For Senate · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The campaign’s current messaging, its social-media links and its “Paid for by” disclaimer. Campaign descriptions are distinguished from independently documented results.Campaign source - 24Paxton’s All In for Texas: issues pageKen Paxton For Senate · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Primary source for the candidate’s stated agenda, in eight sections. These are campaign positions, not accomplishments. One section is directed at his opponent and is not summarized in this profile.Campaign source - 25Meet Ken PaxtonKen Paxton For Senate · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Campaign biography. Its claims of more than 100 suits against the Biden administration, of “billions” in opioid settlements and of conservative rankings are the campaign’s own and are not itemized on the page.Campaign source - 26Attorney General Ken Paxton’s former aides win $6.6 million in whistleblower caseThe Texas Tribune · Apr. 4, 2025
Ayden Runnels and Jasper Scherer’s report of the Travis County district court judgment for four former aides, with Paxton’s statement that he would appeal. The judgment followed the office’s decision not to contest the facts.Independent reporting - 27Texas will pay $6.6 million to whistleblowers after Paxton drops appealKUT News / The Texas Newsroom · July 4, 2025
Eleanor Klibanoff’s report that Paxton dropped his appeal of the April 2025 judgment and that the Legislature must appropriate the funds. It does not establish whether the money has since been appropriated.Independent reporting - 28Ken Paxton omits rental income and mortgages from financial disclosures, obscuring his wealthThe Texas Tribune and ProPublica · Sept. 4, 2026
Investigation by Zach Despart, Kayla Guo and Alexandra Glorioso of Paxton’s candidate financial disclosures, with ethics experts’ views and the campaign’s response. It is a news investigation, not an agency finding.Independent reporting - 29Ken Paxton vowed to crack down on ‘illegal voting.’ He may have violated Texas election law.The Texas Tribune and ProPublica · July 7, 2026
Zach Despart’s report on the address Paxton used to vote, with three election lawyers’ views and the campaign’s response. It reports no complaint, investigation or charge.Independent reporting
No matching sources. Try “Senate”, “election” or “campaign.”
Scope & method. Reviewed September 17, 2026. This is a documented overview of publicly available biography, major actions, and stated priorities, not an exhaustive case-by-case record. Numerical claims retain their original meaning and attribution. Historical sources do not imply current appointments. The source list provides direct links so readers can check the underlying material. Election lists, filings, and campaign pages may change after this review.
Images. Conservative Ledger masthead supplied by the site creator. No photograph is published here: the Ledger uses only public-domain U.S. Government works or images under an explicit free licence, and none had been cleared for this profile at the time of review.
Where to find the candidate
Every link below was read from the campaign’s own website or the candidate’s official government page. A follower count is printed only where it was measured; otherwise the link is published and the number is left blank rather than guessed at.
The official office
Voting in Texas: official dates, deadlines and rules
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The dates and rules below were read from the Texas Secretary of State; the authority's own page, linked beside each one, is the final word.
Dates and deadlines
- Voter registration deadlineMonday, October 5, 2026. An application counts if it is postmarked by that date or received in the county voter registrar's office by that date. A voter registration application filled out online must still be printed and sent to the county voter registrar's office. Read from: votetexas.gov/faq/registration.html
- Ballots sent to military and overseas (FPCA) votersSaturday, September 19, 2026 — deadline for county election officials to mail or email ballots to military and overseas voters who applied with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA); for an FPCA received after that date, the ballot goes out no later than the seventh calendar day after it is received. This date applies to FPCA voters only. Read from: sos.texas.gov/elections/laws/advisory2026-03.shtml
- Early voting in person beginsMonday, October 19, 2026 — first day of early voting by personal appearance. Read from: votetexas.gov/faq/early-voting.html
- Early voting in person endsFriday, October 30, 2026 — last day of early voting by personal appearance. Read from: votetexas.gov/faq/early-voting.html
- Deadline to apply for a ballot by mail (received, not postmarked)Friday, October 23, 2026. The Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) must be received — not just postmarked — by the early voting clerk in the county where you are registered, before the close of regular business or 12 noon, whichever is later. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/application-for-ballot-by-mail.html
- Deadline to return a ballot by mail (received by)The early voting clerk must receive the ballot by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, if the carrier envelope is not postmarked; or by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 (the next business day), if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day at the location of the election. Different deadlines apply to overseas and military voters. Read from: sos.texas.gov/elections/voter/important-election-dates.shtml
- Polling place hours on Election Day7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026, at all polling places statewide. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting/where.html
Rules to know
- What to bringVoters who have one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID must present it when voting in person: a Texas driver license, Texas Election Identification Certificate, Texas personal identification card or Texas handgun license issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS); a U.S. military ID card with photo; a U.S. citizenship certificate with photo; or a U.S. passport. For voters aged 18–69 the ID may be expired no more than four years; for voters 70 or older, for any length of time. A voter who does not have one of these and cannot reasonably obtain one may show a supporting form of ID — such as a voter registration certificate, current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck — and sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration. A voter who has an acceptable ID but does not bring it may vote provisionally and has six days to show it to the county voter registrar. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting/need-id.html
- Who may vote by mail and how to applyVoting by mail in Texas is limited to voters who are 65 or older on Election Day; sick or disabled; expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; absent from their county of registration during the early voting period and on Election Day; civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or confined in jail but otherwise eligible. To ask for a ballot, send an Application for Ballot by Mail (ABBM) to the early voting clerk in the county where you are registered — in person, by mail, by common or contract carrier, or by fax or email (if faxed or emailed, the application must also be mailed so that the clerk receives it no later than the fourth business day after the clerk received the fax or email). VoteTexas.gov says a voter who applies because of an expected absence may apply in person before the period of early voting in person begins (Monday, October 19, 2026). The ABBM must include your Texas driver license, Texas personal ID or Election Identification Certificate number or, if you have none of these, the last four digits of your Social Security number. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/eligibility-requirements.html
- Early voting in personAny registered voter may vote early in person; no special qualification is required. From October 19 through October 30, 2026, you may vote at any early voting location in your county of registration. Hours vary by location. Early voting locations appear in the state's My Voter Portal two days before the first day of early voting, and the early voting clerk in your county can also provide them. Read from: votetexas.gov/faq/early-voting.html
- Track your ballot by mailAfter you send your ballot by mail to your county's early voting clerk, you can check its status in the Ballot by Mail Tracker on the Texas Secretary of State's My Voter Portal. To log in, enter your first and last name, your date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and your Texas driver license or DPS personal ID number. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/track-my-ballot.html
- Correcting a defect in a mail ballot application or carrier envelopeIf your Application for Ballot by Mail or your carrier envelope was rejected because the ID number was missing or did not match your voter registration record, you may correct the defect online through the Ballot by Mail Tracker. For other carrier-envelope defects — no signature, a signature mismatch, a missing Statement of Residence or incomplete witness information — complete the Corrective Action Form enclosed with the notice of defect and mail it back to the early voting clerk, or complete it in person at the clerk's office. You have until the 6th day after Election Day to correct the defect so that the ballot is counted. You may instead cancel the ballot by mail at an early voting or Election Day polling place and vote in person; without the mail ballot to surrender, the only option is a provisional ballot. Read from: votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/corrective-action.html
Read from: Welcome to Texas Elections · Important Election Dates · November 3, 2026 Election Law Calendar · Current Elections Information List · Ballot Certification Report 2026 NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION November 03, 2026 · SAMPLE BALLOT (BOLETA DE MUESTRA) — Rules and dates as of Sep 17, 2026
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