​​​Editor's note: This article has been updated to include candidates whose filings were posted online after 8 p.m. Dec. 8 and to add three races for Texas' 15th Court of Appeals.

Texas voters will see 18 statewide races on the ballot in 2026, from a U.S. senator and top state officials to seven state judges.

Texas will hold Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 3 to determine who will appear on the statewide ballot in November. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, meaning registered voters can cast their ballots in either primary and do not need to register with a specific party.

What you need to know

Referencing information from the secretary of state’s office, the Texas Democratic Party and the Texas Republican Party, Community Impact compiled lists of candidates running for each statewide office in 2026. Candidates for each position are listed in alphabetical order by first name, with the incumbent, if applicable, at the top of the list.


Each candidate’s campaign website, if available, is linked with their name.

U.S. Senate: John Cornyn, one of Texas’ two U.S. senators, is running for reelection in 2026. U.S. senators serve staggered six-year terms.Governor: Greg Abbott is running for a fourth four-year term in governor’s office. Twenty-one candidates had filed for the gubernatorial primaries as of press time, making it the largest statewide race.Lieutenant governor: Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth four-year term as lieutenant governor of Texas. The lieutenant governor leads the Texas Senate and can exercise the powers of the governor if the governor dies, resigns, is removed from office or is absent from the state, according to the Texas State Historical Association.Attorney general: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving his office open. The attorney general is elected to a four-year term. There is no incumbent in this race.Comptroller of public accounts: Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running for a four-year term as Texas’ chief financial officer. There is no incumbent in this race.General land commissioner: Dawn Buckingham is seeking a second term as commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The GLO manages 13 million acres of state lands and is Texas’ oldest state agency, according to its website. The land commissioner is elected to a four-year term.Agriculture commissioner: Sid Miller is running for a fourth four-year term as Texas’ agriculture commissioner. The commissioner leads the Texas Department of Agriculture, which regulates agriculture, administers nutrition programs and provides rural economic development assistance, according to the agency’s website.Railroad commissioner: Jim Wright is running for a second term on the three-member Railroad Commission of Texas. The commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, according to its website, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government. Railroad commissioners are elected to staggered six-year terms.Texas Supreme Court, chief justice: Jimmy Blacklock is seeking reelection to the state’s highest court. Justices on the nine-member Texas Supreme Court serve staggered six-year terms.Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 2: James P. Sullivan was appointed to the state Supreme Court in January and is seeking election to a full six-year term.Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 7: Kyle Hawkins was appointed to Texas’ high court in October and is running for a full six-year term.Texas Supreme Court justice, Place 8: Brett Busby is running for reelection to the state Supreme Court.Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 3: Bert Richardson is running for chief justice of Texas’ Fourth Court of Appeals, leaving his seat on the state’s highest appeals court open. Judges on the nine-member court serve staggered six-year terms. There is no incumbent in this race.Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 4: Kevin Patrick Yeary is seeking reelection to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge, Place 9: David Newell is not seeking reelection to the state’s highest appeals court, leaving his seat open. There is no incumbent in this race.15th Court of Appeals, chief justice: Texas lawmakers created the 15th Court of Appeals, which hears cases brought by or against state agencies and universities, as well as appeals from the state business court, in 2023. Scott Brister, who was appointed as chief justice in 2024, is seeking a full six-year term.15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 2: Scott K. Field was appointed to Texas' 15th Court of Appeals in 2024 and is seeking a full six-year term.15th Court of Appeals justice, Place 3: April Farris was appointed to Texas' 15th Court of Appeals in 2024 and is running for a full six-year term.Zooming out

Sixteen of Texas’ 31 state Senate seats, all of Texas’ 150 state House seats and eight of Texas’ 15 State Board of Education seats are up for election in 2026. Texas’ 38 congressional seats will also appear on the ballot.

Many Texans may see new congressional representation in 2027, previous Community Impact reporting shows. Several members of Texas’ congressional delegation are not seeking reelection in 2026, and 37 of the state’s 38 congressional districts were redrawn this summer. After a swift legal battle, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Dec. 4 that Texas could use its new congressional map in the 2026 elections.


Dates to know
  • Dec. 8: Last day for candidates to file to run in the March 3 primary elections
  • Feb. 2: Last day to register to vote in the March 3 primary elections
  • Feb. 17: Early voting begins
  • Feb. 20: Deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot
  • Feb. 27: Early voting ends
  • March 3: Primary election day
More information about election dates and deadlines is available on the secretary of state’s website.

Did you know?

All statewide offices on the ballot are currently held by Republicans, although some are not running for reelection. No Democrat has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.