Early voting in Texas’ election passed the state’s midterm record, with more than 40.5% of registered voters casting early ballots statewide and over 35% of registered rural voters participating, according to preliminary data from the Texas Secretary of State. The statewide early voter turnout exceeds the previous record of 39.9%, set during the 2018 midterm election.
The turnout figures reflect mail-in ballots received as of November 1 and votes cast during Texas’ in-person early voting period. The election features two closely watched statewide races: State Representative James Talarico (D) and Texas’ Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) are competing for a U.S. Senate seat, while State Representative Gina Hinojosa (D) is challenging Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth term.
In the 2026 midterms, 41.2% of metropolitan voters voted early, and 35.6% of rural voters voted early. Rural voters had nearly a seven-point jump in early turnout from 28.8% in the previous 2022 midterms, and metro voters had nearly a ten-point increase from 31.4% in 2022.
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Texas added over 1,369,000 registered voters between the 2022 and 2026 midterms, with 9.5% of those new registrations coming from rural counties. Notably, the 2022 Texas election was a gubernatorial race, not a Senate contest, so comparisons with that cycle are not directly parallel; however, 2026 early turnout still outpaced the 2018 midterm election, which included a Senate race between Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
Rural voter participation has remained elevated throughout the 2026 election cycle. In March, rural Texas voters had the highest primary turnout rate of any geographic group in the state, with approximately 26% of registered rural voters casting ballots, compared with 24% in major metropolitan counties.
This surge in early turnout came amid a decline in the number of polling places available on Election Day. A CBS News Texas I-Team investigation found that Texas has lost more than 500 Election Day polling locations since 2018, with decreases reported in 130 of the state’s 254 counties. According to CBS, election officials attributed the decline to factors such as limited facility availability and the expansion of countywide voting, which allows voters to cast ballots at any polling location within their county. Still, fewer polling sites could mean longer travel distances for some voters, particularly in rural areas, raising concerns about accessibility and the potential effects on turnout on Election Day.
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(Source: CBS News)
As Texans head to the polls Tuesday, final turnout figures will show whether early-voting momentum continues, particularly in rural communities where participation has risen but access to Election Day polling locations remains a concern in some counties.
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