Texas Early Voting Tops 4.9 Million Ballots With Four Days Left
Unofficial state data show at least 4,949,502 Texans voted in person or by mail through Monday, Oct. 26, about 26% of a record 19 million registered voters, with several big counties still uploading Monday's rosters. Early voting ends Friday, Oct. 30, ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
By Claire Hollister, Politics and Policy
Published · 7 min read
The Overview
The facts, straight
This story follows our Oct. 19 report on the opening of early voting. Turnout figures are unofficial Texas Secretary of State data, as posted Oct. 27, and may be revised as counties upload records.
Early voting. Early voting in Texas began Monday, Oct. 19, as we reported that day, and runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. During early voting, Texans may vote at any early voting location in their county of registration (Texas Secretary of State).
The first eight days, Oct. 19–26. These are cumulative statewide totals from the Secretary of State's early voting turnout data, as posted Oct. 27:
| Through | In-person votes that day | Total in-person | Mail ballots received | Total votes | Share of registered voters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., Oct. 19 | 784,104 | 784,499 | 127,600 | 912,099 | 4.8% |
| Tue., Oct. 20 | 744,033 | 1,528,532 | 139,446 | 1,667,978 | 8.8% |
| Wed., Oct. 21 | 683,047 | 2,211,579 | 157,033 | 2,368,612 | 12.4% |
| Thu., Oct. 22 | 632,715 | 2,844,294 | 171,851 | 3,016,145 | 15.8% |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | 698,540 | 3,542,834 | 189,631 | 3,732,465 | 19.6% |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | 517,775 | 4,060,609 | 200,452 | 4,261,061 | 22.4% |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | 268,094 | 4,328,703 | 203,309 | 4,532,012 | 23.8% |
| Mon., Oct. 26 (partial) | 405,787 | 4,734,490 | 215,012 | 4,949,502 | 26.0% |
The share is figured against the state's 19,041,684 registered voters, which the Secretary of State called "a record number for the state" when it released the count on Oct. 16 (registration figures). Earlier days have been revised up as counties filed late rosters: the total through Oct. 22 now stands at 3,016,145.
On Oct. 26, Secretary of State Robert Howden announced that "more than 4.2 million Texans cast ballots during the first six days of early voting," through Saturday, Oct. 24, "representing approximately 22% of the state's 19 million registered voters." His office posted the same figure:
Post: Office of the Texas Secretary of State (@TXsecofstate) on X, Oct. 26, 2026, 6:11 p.m. ET.
Monday's count is still coming in. Counties have until 11 a.m. the next day to submit each day's totals and rosters, and "those numbers may take additional time to appear in the public reporting system," the Secretary of State's office says. "All early voting figures are unofficial and subject to change." In the state data posted Oct. 27, Monday's in-person counts for Harris, Collin and Fort Bend counties were far below their earlier daily totals, and about two dozen smaller counties showed no Monday votes yet. So the Oct. 26 line above is a floor, not a final number.
Big counties through Sunday, Oct. 25 (in-person plus mail, as a share of each county's registered voters; Secretary of State data as posted Oct. 27):
- Harris: 620,648 (22.6%)
- Dallas: 371,810 (24.9%)
- Tarrant: 337,108 (27.4%)
- Bexar: 302,190 (22.8%)
- Travis: 262,741 (27.8%)
- Collin: 218,978 (27.8%)
- Denton: 197,192 (28.7%)
- Fort Bend: 161,766 (27.8%)
- Williamson: 142,449 (30.2%)
Texas does not register voters by party, so these numbers do not show who is ahead.
The races at the top. In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico. In the race for governor, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott faces Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. The most recent public poll in our earlier report, a CBS News/YouGov survey taken Oct. 8–16 (toplines), found both races within the margin of error among likely voters:
- Senate: Talarico 51%, Paxton 49%
- Governor: Abbott 52%, Hinojosa 48%
How to vote. Bring one of seven acceptable forms of photo ID, or, if you "do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain" one, fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration with a supporting document, the Secretary of State says. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot passed Oct. 23. To check your registration or find a polling place, go to VoteTexas.gov or your county elections office.
What the Left Says
The progressive and Democratic case
Democrats are casting the race as working Texans against big money. Hinojosa posted on Oct. 27:
Post: Gina Hinojosa (@GinaHinojosaTX) on X, Oct. 27, 2026, 9:23 a.m. ET.
"On November 3rd, we'll prove that working Texans can take on the biggest money in politics, and we can win. It'll allow all of us to believe in our power again."
Talarico opened his closing tour on Oct. 18 with a video post:
Post: James Talarico (@jamestalarico) on X, Oct. 18, 2026, 2:53 p.m. ET.
"Tonight, we’re kicking off our Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Tour with some special guests from the cast of Friday Night Lights. We’ve come this far together. Now it’s time to leave it all on the field."
On Oct. 20 he posted a video saying, "Elon Musk is trying to buy this Senate seat in Texas." He added that "on November 3rd, we’ll deliver a clear message to the world’s first trillionaire: Texas is not for sale."
On taxes, Hinojosa rejects Abbott's central attack. "I do not support a state income tax and have never voted to raise taxes. My plan as governor is to put money in your pocket," she posted on Oct. 18, with a video.
Where Reality Likely Sits
Radio Purple's analysis
Turnout. At least 4.9 million Texans, about a quarter of registered voters, had voted by the end of the second Monday, and Monday's count was still coming in from some of the biggest counties. Daily in-person turnout was highest on opening day, dipped over the weekend and picked back up Monday. Turnout data show how many people voted and where, not how they voted. Both campaigns are reading the same numbers as a reason to push harder.
The income tax. The record is public, but the two sides read it differently:
- The 2019 amendment, HJR 38, put a ban on a personal income tax into the Texas Constitution. The Legislature sent it to voters in May 2019 (Texas Legislature Online), and voters approved it that November, 76% to 24%, according to CBS Texas.
- Hinojosa voted against sending that amendment to voters, according to legislative records cited by CBS Texas.
- Abbott says that vote shows she wanted to keep an income tax possible. Hinojosa says she opposes an income tax.
Common ground. Every campaign, and the Secretary of State, is telling voters the same thing: check your polling place, bring your ID, and vote by Friday, Oct. 30, or on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Which matters more to you in these races: cost of living, the border, or who you trust on taxes?
What the Right Says
The conservative and Republican case
Republicans are pressing their voters not to wait. Paxton posted on Oct. 26:
Post: Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) on X, Oct. 26, 2026, 3:10 p.m. ET.
"5 DAYS LEFT of early voting. Don’t wait until Election Day. Get your family, your friends, and your neighbors to the polls this week. We need every Republican in Texas to vote. Make it count."
A few days earlier, he warned that "The radical Left is counting on Republicans to stay home. Let’s prove them wrong" (post, Oct. 23).
President Trump endorsed Paxton on Oct. 17, writing that Paxton "is the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next U.S. Senator from Texas" (post).
Abbott's campaign is pressing the income-tax issue. In an Oct. 15 release, it said that "In 2019, Hinojosa voted against banning a state income tax in the Texas Constitution," citing HJR 38. The release also posted the campaign's own video ad.
Sources & Citations
- Texas Secretary of State, “Early Voting Turnout (2026 November General Election)”, October 27, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, “More Than 4.2 Million Texans Cast Ballots in First Half of Early Voting”, October 26, 2026.
- X (@TXsecofstate), “Office of the Texas Secretary of State post on X (4.2 million through six days)”, October 26, 2026.
- X (@TXsecofstate), “Office of the Texas Secretary of State post on X (turnout upload timing)”, October 22, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, “Secretary Howden Announces Texas Has a Record 19 million Registered Voters”, October 16, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, “November 2026 Voter Registration Figures”, October 16, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, “VoteTexas.gov”, October 27, 2026.
- X (@KenPaxtonTX), “Ken Paxton posts on X”, October 26, 2026.
- X (@jamestalarico), “James Talarico posts on X”, October 18, 2026.
- X (@GinaHinojosaTX), “Gina Hinojosa posts on X”, October 27, 2026.
- X (@realDonaldTrump), “Donald J. Trump post on X (Paxton endorsement)”, October 17, 2026.
- Texans for Greg Abbott, “Even the Media Doesn't Buy High Tax Hinojosa's Lies About a State Income Tax”, October 15, 2026.
- Texas Legislature Online, “HJR 38, 86th Legislature (2019), actions”, May 24, 2019.
- CBS News/YouGov, “CBS News Poll – October 8–16, 2026, Registered Voters in Texas (toplines)”, October 18, 2026.
- CBS Texas, “Hinojosa denies she voted against a ban on state income tax in Texas, contradicting legislative records”, October 13, 2026.
Positions above are attributed to the public statements and published reporting cited here. Quotations are taken from these sources; Radio Purple does not publish unattributed or invented quotes. See an error? Request a correction.
