Texas Midterm Election Polls Close Amid Tight Senate Race and High Turnout

Voters across Texas headed to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, to participate in the 2026 midterm elections, casting ballots in hundreds of federal, state, and local contests. Polling locations generally closed at 7 p.m. local time, though voters who remained in line at closing time were still permitted to cast their ballots. Preliminary results began rolling out shortly afterward, with early voting and mail-in totals reported first.

The high-profile U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state representative James Talarico drew intense national attention and massive voter turnout. Final pre-election polls showed a competitive matchup, with surveys like AtlasIntel and the New York Times/Siena College giving Talarico a narrow advantage, while other polls pointed to a remarkably tight contest. Both candidates spent the final hours of the campaign rallying supporters across the Lone Star State.

Campaigning in Collin County, Paxton warned supporters about the high stakes of the election. "Understand what is actually at stake here: Texas has never been this close to slipping away. If Texas falls, we don't have another Texas to move to," Paxton stated. Meanwhile, Talarico told a crowd in Austin that the election had reached its crucial final moment, urging supporters to "leave it all on the field."

Early voter turnout significantly outpaced previous midterm cycles. More than 7.7 million early ballots were cast ahead of Election Day, representing over 94 percent of the total turnout recorded in the 2022 midterm elections. Major North Texas counties reported substantial increases in early participation, with Dallas County seeing a 55 percent rise and Collin County experiencing a 48 percent surge compared to four years prior.

Election officials reminded voters that the numbers reported on election night are unofficial. The Texas Secretary of State's Office functions as a repository for county-reported totals rather than independently declaring winners. Final results are subject to provisional ballot reviews, late-arriving mail-in ballots, and mandatory county canvassing procedures.

The formal certification process for state, federal, and district races will take place between November 21 and December 7, 2026. Because of rigorous verification requirements and the closeness of several key matchups, the final certified outcome for Texas' most closely watched races may not be determined until weeks after Election Day.