{"id":1468,"date":"2026-05-14T17:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=1468"},"modified":"2026-05-14T17:30:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:30:56","slug":"how-does-a-runoff-election-work-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=1468","title":{"rendered":"How does a runoff election work in Texas?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DALLAS<\/strong> – <\/span>As the dust settles on the Texas primaries, several races have no clear winner.<\/p>

Read more 11-year-old dead after being hit by truck outside Clute Intermediate School<\/a><\/p>

Those races will head to a May 26 runoff election.<\/p>

What triggers a runoff election in Texas?<\/p>

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Runoff criteria in Texas<\/strong>As the dust settles on the Texas primaries, several races have no clear winner.<\/h2>

Around 30 state and federal races will go back to the voters to be decided after candidates in those races failed to receive half of the votes cast in the March primaries.<\/p>

Runoff election day is May 26.<\/p>

Voters who voted in the March primary elections can only vote in the runoff elections of the party they selected in March. Voters who did not vote in March can vote in either party’s runoff.<\/p>

What triggers a runoff election in Texas?<\/p>

Runoff criteria in Texas<\/strong><\/h2>

Texas is one of a handful of states that require a candidate to get a majority of the votes in a primary to advance to the general election. This means a candidate must get 50% plus one vote to win an election. The top two vote-getters in each primary advance to a runoff.\u00a0<\/p>

Other states require a candidate to receive a plurality of votes, meaning the most votes. The Texas majority law means that crowded races often lead to runoffs, even in the primary stage.<\/p>

Texas\u2019 primaries are open, meaning people can vote in any primary they want, regardless of party. However, voters are only allowed to cast a ballot in one primary and that primary choice determines in which runoff a voter can participate.<\/p>

When are the Texas primary runoff elections?<\/h2>

Runoff elections for the March Texas primaries will be held on May 26.<\/p>

Early voting begins on May 18 and runs through May 22.<\/p>

What’s on the ballot?<\/h2>

Statewide Republican runoffs:<\/h4>