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For those who haven’t been paying attention, Dallas is quite the hotspot when it comes to the 2026 Democratic primaries in Texas. Jasmine Crockett, the U.S. Rep. from Dallas, is in a tight race with James Talarico of Round Rock for a U.S. Senate Democratic nomination, and former Congressman Colin Allred is trying to reclaim the seat he gave up when he ran for the Senate in 2024 from Julie Johnson, the person who succeeded him in District 32.
But remember, thanks to the recent redistricting efforts spurred by President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Allred and Johnson are now aiming to represent District 33. When you include McKinney’s own Ken Paxton’s effort to win the Republican nomination for the Senate seat currently held by John Cornyn, then North Texas as a whole is quite the epicenter for the March elections.
Early voting for the primaries started on Feb. 17. Now is the time to not only start having your voice heard, but to make sure you have all the facts you need to know when it comes to casting your vote during the primary season in North Texas.
When Can I Vote?
Early voting runs from Feb. 17 – 27, and primary Election Day is March 3.
Where Can I Vote?
The Texas Secretary of State’s website has information on polling locations. Countywide voting is available for early voting; however, voters must use the polling location in their assigned precinct on Election Day.
How Do I Know if I Can Vote?
The Texas Secretary of State’s website also allows voters to confirm their voter registration status. The deadline to register to vote or to submit an address change in time for the March primaries was Feb. 2.
How Do I Vote by Mail?
VoteTexas.gov has an application for ballot by mail available to download. To vote in the March 3 primary, your application must be received by the Early Voting Clerk by Feb. 20. According to the website, you may send in your application for a ballot by mail, in-person delivery, regular mail, common or contract carrier, fax (if a fax machine is available to the Early Voting Clerk) or email.
The Early Voting Clerk must receive marked ballots by 7 p.m. on March 3, if the carrier envelope is not postmarked, with some exceptions.
Can I Vote in the Republican and Democratic Primaries?
Texas voters can choose which party’s primary to vote in, but can not vote in both the Republican and Democratic primaries in the same election cycle. Additionally, a voter can cast a ballot in the runoff election only for the party they voted for in the original primary that year, if they voted in that primary. On the other hand, you do not have to have voted in the March 3 primary election to cast a vote in a runoff election, which will take place in May.
The possible move to closed primaries, where only members of a given party can vote in their party’s primary, has become a concern for many Texas GOP officials, but has not become law.
When Will Runoff Elections Take Place?
Tuesday, May 26.
Who’s Running for the U.S. Senate?
In perhaps the most-watched, bitterly contested primary race in the entire United States, the top two candidates from each party have become national personalities over the past couple of years, specifically. On the Republican side, the candidates have been bickering and taking shots at each other online for years.
Republican Candidates:
- Sen. John Cornyn, the incumbent, first elected to the office in 2002, now seeks his fifth Senate race win. Before joining the Senate, Cornyn served as Texas attorney general for one term and as a Texas Supreme Court justice.
- Attorney General Ken Paxton has won four consecutive attorney general elections, even as he has found himself tangled in a range of legal troubles, including felony securities fraud charges and a 2023 impeachment hearing stemming from allegations that he abused the powers of his office.
- U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt from Houston won his election in 2022 after losing a 2020 bid for the District 7 congressional seat.
Democratic Candidates:
- U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett took office in 2023 after serving as a state representative. Since joining Congress, Crockett has become a lightning rod of national cable news, winning fans and gaining detractors for her fiery, often confrontational approach and self-proclaimed “fighter” mentality.
- Texas Rep. James Talarico was first elected to the House in 2018 after years as a schoolteacher. Like Crockett, Talarico has gained fame beyond Texas thanks to viral clips often showcasing his blend of religious beliefs and liberal politics.
Who’s Running for the District 33 Democratic Nomination?
U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson became the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Texas and the South when she was elected to succeed fellow Democrat Colin Allred in District 32 in 2024. Johnson has cited the 2025 Texas Legislature redistricting effort as her reason for running for the District 33 nomination.
Former Congressman Colin Allred joined the race for the District 33 nomination after initially running for the Democratic nomination for Senate. Allred lost his 2024 bid for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Ted Cruz by nine points after successfully flipping the previously Republican Congressional District 32 in 2018.
Who’s Running to Replace Ken Paxton as Attorney General?
For the primaries, the field to replace Paxton is a crowded one, especially on the Republican side, where polling suggests U.S. Rep. Chip Roy and state Rep. Mayes Middleton lead the field that includes former Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz and state Senator Joan Huffman.
The Democratic race is less crowded and includes state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.
Who’s Running in All the Other Texas Primaries?
That’s a big question with a ton of answers. A sample ballot for the Dallas County Democratic primary features over 100 choices ranging from gubernatorial candidates to county offices to propositions regarding cannabis reform. The sample ballot for the Dallas County Republican primary is slightly shorter at a mere four pages.
