Primary runoff election day in Texas: Here's what to know

Texas voters head to the polls Tuesday, May 26, to settle primary runoffs that will shape the November ballot, with a marquee U.S. Senate race topping the ticket.

What to know about Election Day:

• Republicans were outpacing Democrats at two Tarrant County voting sites on the first day of early voting, with the U.S. Senate race topping the runoff ballot.
• Sen. John Cornyn faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican Senate runoff after Cornyn narrowly clinched first place March 3 with 42% of votes to Paxton’s 40.5%, forcing the heated contest into overtime.
• Paxton got a boost last week when he received and endorsement from President Donald Trump. Trump has a strong track record in Texas, Eleanor Dearman reported.
• Voters are also choosing nominees to replace Paxton as attorney general, with State Sen. Mayes Middleton facing U.S. Rep. Chip Roy on the Republican side and State Sen. Nathan Johnson facing former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski for Democrats.
• The Star-Telegram’s Tarrant County voter guide features candidate Q&As for races spanning county government, the Texas Legislature, Congress and the U.S. Senate.
• Texas has open primaries, but voters who cast ballots in March must vote in the same party’s runoff — those who didn’t vote in March can choose either party’s ballot.
• Voters need photo ID at the polls, and those without acceptable forms can submit a reasonable impediment declaration with an alternative like a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck, according to state voting rules.
• Cell phones, cameras, tablets and political apparel are banned inside polling places, and political signs aren’t allowed within 100 feet, per Texas election guidelines.
• Check the Tarrant County Election Administration website for polling locations and wait times.
• The Star-Telegram Editorial Board endorsed John Cornyn over Paxton in the Senate runoff, calling Paxton “ethically flawed” and saying Cornyn will be a more effective senator.
• The editorial board also endorsed Chip Roy for attorney general, Jim Wright over Bo French for Railroad Commission, and Nathan Johnson and Vikki Goodwin in key Democratic statewide runoffs.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Primary runoff election day in Texas: Here's what to know."