Texas Primary Elections on March 3: Key Points of a Decisive Election Day

On March 3rd, Texas experienced a major election day. Voters across the state went to the polls to choose their candidates for the November general election. In Texas, this process was especially significant due to the size of the state and its influence in U.S. politics.

Polling stations remained open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time throughout the territory. During that day, thousands of Texas citizens exercised their right to choose among different options in their respective party primaries, following Texas’s open primary system.

Contested Races: The Scope of the Texas Election

Texas’s primaries covered multiple levels of government. First, voters had the opportunity to select candidates for federal offices, starting with a U.S. Senate seat (since Texas will elect one of its two senators in 2026) and 38 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

At the state level, the contest was even broader. Texas residents decided on candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller of public accounts, land commissioner, and agriculture commissioner. Additionally, candidates for specialized judicial positions were chosen: four seats on the Texas Supreme Court and three on the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Regarding the state legislative administration, candidates were selected for 16 of the 31 Texas Senate seats and 150 seats in the state House. Also, representatives for the State Board of Education were elected in eight districts. The organization of these elections was managed by Texas’s 254 counties, each with autonomy to determine the order of candidates on their respective ballots.

Gubernatorial Race: Candidates in Both Primaries

In the Republican primary for Texas governor, which is a four-year term, multiple contenders competed. Greg Abbott, seeking re-election, led the list of candidates, alongside Bob Achgill, Evelyn Brooks, Pete “Doc” Chambers, Charles Crouch, Arturo Espinosa, Mark Goloby, Kenneth Hyde, Stephen Samuelson, Ronnie Tullos, and Nathaniel Welch.

Meanwhile, in the Democratic primary, candidates for governor included Patricia Abrego, Chris Bell, Bobby Cole, Carlton W. Hart, Gina Hinojosa, Jose Navarro Balbuena, Zach Vance, and Angela “Tía Angie” Villescaz. Both primaries reflected Texas’s competitive political landscape within the broader U.S. context.

Voting Schedule and Election Operations in Texas

The Texas Secretary of State set the voting hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. During this period, the offices of the voter registrar and early voting secretary remained operational to handle tasks related to the election process.

Once polling stations closed at 7 p.m., each county’s election official began transmitting results to the Secretary of State, continuing the vote tallying process until completion.

Procedures for Mail-In Ballots in Texas

Texas allowed voters to deliver their mail-in ballots in person at early voting offices while polling centers were open. Voters had to present valid identification following standard protocols.

Specific deadlines were established for this type of voting. The deadline to request an emergency ballot for those incapacitated since February 19, 2026, was 5 p.m. Of greater importance, the deadline to receive early mail-in ballots was 7 p.m. on election day. Ballots received by that time had to be counted during the election night.

Ballots arriving after 7 p.m. would not be counted, except in specific cases allowed by law: late ballots sent from abroad and those from U.S. military members and their families. This structure reflected the administrative complexity of conducting elections in a state as large as Texas.