By Tolga Sahin | Intern
Early voting turnout for the 2026 Texas primary elections has surged to levels never before seen in a midterm cycle, with statewide total turnout on pace to more than double that of the 2022 primaries.
After the first week of the early voting period, more than 1.5 million Texans cast their ballots across both the Republican and Democratic primaries, a significant increase from approximately 700,000 early votes recorded at the same point in 2022. The Texas Secretary of State reported that turnout has consistently outpaced previous elections in almost all counties across Texas. Early voting will conclude Friday.
Dr. Patrick Flavin, chair of the political science department, said economic conditions are the primary driver of voter enthusiasm in midterm cycles.
“Political science research shows a pretty strong connection between how well or poorly the economy is doing and how well the incumbent president’s party does,” Flavin said. “Trump did better among voters who were concerned about the economy [in the 2024 presidential election].”
While both parties have increased their turnout, the Democratic Party has contributed to the increase, adding approximately 500,000 voters in efforts to take back Texas since 1994. On the other hand, Republican Party voters have also shown up with 200,000 more voters than in 2022 despite holding majorities in legislatures and all statewide offices from governor to railroad commissioner.
Most of the heightened interest centers on the U.S. Senate race, currently held by Republican John Cornyn, which has a competitive field on both sides despite the incumbent.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt challenge Cornyn after decades of holding the seat. According to public polling aggregators, Paxton has a small advantage over Cornyn, with Hunt trailing them. This three-way race is most likely to head to May 26 runoffs.
The Democratic primary for the Senate seat has generated national enthusiasm, with State Rep. James Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett. The contest began with Baylor Alumnus and 2024 U.S. Senate Democratic Nominee Colin Allred.
Allred dropped out Dec. 8, 2025, and endorsed Crockett Feb. 2, 2026. Allred released a video accusing Talarico of racism shortly after, and the Talarico campaign released a statement in response.
“I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not,” Talarico said. “I would never attack him on the basis of race.”
Talarico held a campaign event in Waco Monday night, where he pitched his candidacy to a crowd of local voters and volunteers.
“We won’t beat the politics of division with more division,” Talarico said. “We won’t win this race by shaming or ridiculing or alienating our neighbors.”
Several other high-profile races are also on the ballot. Gov. Greg Abbott is running for his third term, challenged by the Democratic frontrunner, State Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Public polling clearly points towards an Abbott and Hinojosa battle ahead of November.
In McLennan County, early voting followed the statewide trend, with turnout through the first six days of the 2026 primary outpacing the same period during the 2024 presidential primary. The county’s five early voting locations saw particularly heavy traffic during the final days of the early voting period, according to the McLennan County Elections Office.
Democratic participation drove much of the increase, with daily totals consistently exceeding 2024 levels. Republican turnout remained in line with the prior cycle, though still elevated for a midterm. Both parties saw growth consistent with the county’s overall partisan composition. Baylor University’s nearest Election Day voting location will be the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, available March 3.
Dr. Mark Kelly, clinical associate professor at the department of economics, said the gap between wages and rising costs must be solved in the near future. According to recent public polling, the cost of living is the top issue for most voters.
“In recent years, inflation has been outpacing median and average wages, and that’s a problem,” Kelly said. “That is something that we need to figure out.”
Election Day voting is March 3. McLennan County will operate 39 vote centers, meaning registered voters may cast a ballot at any location regardless of their home precinct. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m., and anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be permitted to vote.
Voters should bring an acceptable form of photo identification, which includes a Texas driver’s license, Texas personal identification card, Texas election identification certificate, U.S. passport or military identification card. A full list of qualifying IDs and polling locations is available on the McLennan County Elections Office website.
