Texas Early Voting Hits Record 7.7 Million Ballots
Texas recorded a modern-day midterm record with over 7.7 million early ballots cast, driven by a surge in Hispanic voter participation.
Early voting for the 2026 midterm elections in Texas reached a modern-day record, with more than 7.7 million registered voters casting ballots. According to the Texas Secretary of State, this represents a 40.5% turnout rate, surpassing the previous record set in 2018. While participation initially lagged behind 2018 levels, a significant surge occurred just before the in-person voting period closed on Friday.
A primary driver of this increase is a substantial rise in Hispanic voter participation. Nearly 1.8 million Hispanic voters cast ballots, marking an 87.2% increase over the same period in the 2022 election cycle. This represents more than 881,000 additional Hispanic voters statewide. Preliminary reports show particularly high turnout in populous counties including Harris, Dallas, and Tarrant, suggesting increased engagement among Black and Hispanic populations in urban cores.
High-stakes races are fueling the voter interest. These include a U.S. Senate contest between Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Representative James Talarico, as well as a gubernatorial race where State Representative Gina Hinojosa is challenging Governor Greg Abbott.
