Texas Democratic Primary Sees Surge in Early Voting Turnout

Early voting in the Texas Democratic primary election is experiencing a significant increase compared to both the 2022 midterm cycle and the 2024 presidential primary. This surge in participation suggests heightened engagement within the party, potentially driven by key races and national political dynamics.

Turnout Numbers

As of Sunday, February 23, 2026, nearly 483,000 Democrats had cast early ballots either in person or by mail, according to data from the Texas Secretary of State. This represents an increase of over 211,000 compared to the same point in the 2022 primary election. The current turnout similarly surpasses the 2024 presidential primary, where 257,680 Democrats had voted by this stage.

Republican early turnout currently stands at approximately 446,000 ballots, slightly exceeding the 2022 figures but falling below the 522,000+ Republicans who had voted at this point in the 2024 presidential primary.

Factors Driving Democratic Participation

Political science experts suggest several factors are contributing to the increased Democratic turnout. Matthew Wilson, a professor at Southern Methodist University, told KERA News that growing criticism of the Trump administration’s policies, coupled with a competitive U.S. Senate Democratic primary, are key drivers. KERA News reported on Wilson’s analysis.

The U.S. Senate primary features a contest between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Texas Rep. James Talarico of Austin, adding further interest to the Democratic side.

Overall Participation and Key Races

Approximately 5% of Texas’s 18,657,918 registered voters have participated in early voting as of Sunday. Overall participation is also ahead of the 2022 primary, when just over 4% of registered voters had cast early ballots.

Texas voters are choosing nominees for several key offices, including U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, and attorney general. Elections are being held for four seats on the Texas Supreme Court, all 150 seats in the Texas House, and 16 seats in the Texas Senate. The Texas Tribune provides details on the candidates and offices at stake.

Essential Dates

Early voting began on February 17 and will continue through February 27. Election Day is scheduled for March 3.

KERA’s Dylan Duke contributed to this story.