2020 Texas elections
Elections were held inTexas on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Its primaries were held on March 3, 2020, with runoffs taking place on July 14.[ 1]
In addition to theU.S. presidential race , Texas voters elected the Class IIU.S. senator from Texas, one of three members of theTexas Railroad Commission , eight of 15 members of theTexas Board of Education , all of its seats to theHouse of Representatives , four of nine seats on theSupreme Court of Texas , three of nine seats on theTexas Court of Criminal Appeals , 21 of 80 seats on the Texas Appellate Courts, all of the seats of theTexas House of Representatives and 17 of 34 seats in theTexas State Senate .
Tovote by mail , registered Texas voters had to request a ballot by October 23, 2020.[ 2] After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid to expand eligibility for requesting postal ballots,[ 3] postal ballots were available only to voters over 65, those sick or disabled, those who were out of their county on election day, and those who were in jail (and otherwise eligible to vote), as defined by Texas law.[ 4]
President of the United States [ edit ] Texas has 38 electoral votes in theElectoral College .
United States Class II Senate Seat [ edit ] United States House of Representatives [ edit ] There were 36 U.S. Representatives in Texas up for election in addition to six open seats.[ 5]
Railroad Commissioner [ edit ] 2020 Texas Railroad Commissioner election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsWright: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Castañeda: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
Eliminated in primary [ edit ] Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jim Wright 991,593 55.29% Republican Ryan Sitton (incumbent) 801,904 44.71% Total votes 1,793,497 100.0%
Chrysta Castañeda, oil and energy industry attorney[ 9] Eliminated in runoff [ edit ] Eliminated in primary [ edit ] Kelly Stone, environmental activist[ 11] Mark Watson, attorney[ 7] Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Chrysta Castañeda 598,638 33.85% Democratic Roberto Alonzo 506,748 28.65% Democratic Kelly Stone 383,453 21.68% Democratic Mark Watson 279,911 15.83% Total votes 1,768,750 100.0%
Democratic primary runoff results[ 13] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Chrysta Castañeda 579,698 62.02% Democratic Roberto Alonzo 355,053 37.98% Total votes 934,751 100.0%
State Board of Education [ edit ] Eight of 15 seats of theTexas Board of Education were up for election. Before the election the composition of that board was:
Party # of seats Republican 10 Democratic 5 Total 15
Republican primary results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jennifer Ivey 58,015 100% Total votes 58,015 100%
Democratic primary results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Georgina C. Pérez (incumbent) 111,214 100% Total votes 111,214 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Georgina C. Pérez (incumbent) 287,623 55.77% Republican Jennifer Ivey 228,140 44.23% Total votes 515,763 100%
Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Robert Morrow 54,460 40.0% Republican Lani Popp 46,276 33.99% Republican Inga Cotton 35,425 26.01% Total votes 136,161 100%
Republican primary runoff results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Lani Popp 55,990 77.96% Republican Robert Morrow 15,827 22.04% Total votes 71,817 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Rebecca Bell-Metereau 143,351 68.51% Democratic Letti Bresnahan 65,885 31.49% Total votes 209,236 100%
Libertarian convention [ edit ] Libertarian convention Party Candidate Votes % Libertarian Stephanie Berlin Total votes 100%
Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Will Hickman 88,900 100% Total votes 88,900 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Michelle Palmer 51,778 46.68% Democratic Kimberly McLeod 38,439 34.65% Democratic Debra Kerner 20,712 18.67% Total votes 110,929 100%
Democratic primary runoff results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Michelle Palmer 39,757 64.23% Democratic Kimberly McLeod 22,139 35.77% Total votes 61,896 100%
Libertarian convention [ edit ] Libertarian convention Party Candidate Votes % Libertarian Whitney Bilyeu Total votes 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Will Hickman 371,958 49.76% Democratic Michelle Palmer 354,179 47.38% Libertarian Whitney Bilyeu 21,414 2.86% Total votes 747,551 100%
Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Audrey Young 143,209 100% Total votes 143,209 100%
Libertarian convention [ edit ] Libertarian convention Party Candidate Votes % Libertarian Audra Rose Berry Total votes 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Audrey Young 567,058 73.4% Libertarian Audra Rose Berry 205,187 26.6% Total votes 772,245 100%
Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Keven Ellis 208,202 100% Total votes 208,202 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Brenda Davis 62,632 100% Total votes 62,632 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Keven Ellis (incumbent) 571,322 74.7% Democratic Brenda Davis 193,364 25.3% Total votes 764,686 100%
Member, District 10[ edit ] Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Tom Maynard 134,760 100% Total votes 134,760 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Marsha Burnett-Webster 133,862 84.5% Democratic Stephen Wyman 24,549 15.5% Total votes 158,411 100%
Libertarian convention [ edit ] Libertarian convention Party Candidate Votes % Libertarian Trip Seibold Total votes 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Tom Maynard (incumbent) 441,700 50.8% Democratic Marsha Burnett-Webster 398,453 45.9% Libertarian Trip Seibold 28,603 3.3% Total votes 868,756 100%
Member, District 14[ edit ] Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Sue Melton-Malone 108,389 61.1% Republican Maria Berry 69,048 38.9% Total votes 177,437 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Greg Alvord 81,833 100% Total votes 81,833 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Sue Melton-Malone (incumbent) 582,027 67.8% Democratic Greg Alvord 276,303 32.2% Total votes 858,330 100%
Member, District 15[ edit ] Republican primary results Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jay Johnson 190,677 100% Total votes 190,677 100%
Democratic primary results Party Candidate Votes % Democratic John Betancourt 42,234 100% Total votes 42,234 100%
General election results[ 18] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jay Johnson 496,080 77.8% Democratic John Betancourt 141,675 22.2% Total votes 637,755 100%
Supreme Court of Texas [ edit ] 2020 Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsHecht: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Meachum: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent Chief Justice Nathan Hecht ran for re-election to his last term.
Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Amy Clark Meachum 1,434,175 80.51% Democratic Jerry Zimmerer 347,186 19.49% Total votes 1,781,361 100.0%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size[ a] Margin of error Nathan Hecht (R) Amy Clark Meachum (D) Other Undecided YouGov /University of Houston [ 14] October 13–20, 2020 1,000 (LV) ± 3.1% 48% 40% 3%[ d] 9%
2020 Texas Supreme Court Place 6 election County resultsBland: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Cheng: 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent Justice Jane Bland was appointed by Governor Abbott in 2019 to replaceJeff Brown . Justice Bland ran to finish the remainder of Brown's term ending in 2024.
Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jane Bland (incumbent)1,699,236 100.0% Total votes 1,699,236 100.0%
Kathy Cheng, civil and commercial litigation attorney[ 23] Larry Praeger, family law attorney[ 24] Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Kathy Cheng 1,310,598 74.52% Democratic Larry Praeger 448,114 25.48% Total votes 1,758,712 100.0%
2020 Texas Supreme Court Place 7 election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsBoyd: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Williams: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent Justice Jeff Boyd ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Jeff Boyd (incumbent)1,702,071 100.0% Total votes 1,702,071 100.0%
Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Staci Williams 1,134,105 65.09% Democratic Brandy Voss 608,288 34.91% Total votes 1,742,393 100.0%
2020 Texas Supreme Court Place 8 election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsBusby: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Triana: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Incumbent Justice Brett Busby ran for a full six-year term after being appointed by Governor Abbott in 2019 due to the retirement ofPhil Johnson .
Brett Busby, incumbent Associate Justice[ 27] Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Brett Busby (incumbent)1,692,583 100.0% Total votes 1,692,583 100.0%
Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Gisela D. Triana 1,251,611 72.04% Democratic Peter Kelly 485,697 27.96% Total votes 1,737,308 100.0%
Court of Criminal Appeals [ edit ] 2020 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsRichardson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Frizell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Incumbent Judge Bert Richardson ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Bert Richardson (incumbent) 897,496 51.84% Republican Gina Parker 833,893 48.16% Total votes 1,731,389 100.0%
William Pieratt Demond, constitutional rights attorney[ 30] Elizabeth Davis Frizell, former Judge of theDallas County Criminal District Court (2007–2017)[ 30] Dan Wood,Terrell -based appellate attorney[ 31] Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Elizabeth Davis Frizell 1,184,280 68.71% Democratic Dan Wood 331,715 19.24% Democratic William Pieratt Demond 207,651 12.05% Total votes 1,723,646 100.0%
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size[ a] Margin of error Bert Richardson (R) Elizabeth Davis Frizell (D) Undecided YouGov /University of Houston [ 14] October 13–20, 2020 1,000 (LV) ± 3.1% 48% 38% 14%
2020 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsYeary: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Clinton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
Incumbent Judge Kevin Yeary ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican Kevin Yeary (incumbent) 1,679,193 100.0% Total votes 1,679,193 100.0%
Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Tina Clinton 1,380,356 80.50% Democratic Steven Miears 334,474 19.50% Total votes 1,714,830 100.0%
2020 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 election ← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
County resultsNewell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%Birmingham: 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent Judge David Newell ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary results[ 8] Party Candidate Votes % Republican David Newell (incumbent) 1,676,841 100.0% Total votes 1,676,841 100.0%
Democratic primary results[ 12] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Brandon Birmingham 1,570,444 100.0% Total votes 1,570,444 100.0%
All 150 seats of theTexas House of Representatives and 16 of 31 seats of theTexas State Senate were up for election.
Before the election, the composition of the state senate was:
Party # of seats Republican 19 Democratic 12 Total 31
After the election, the composition of the state senate was:
Party # of seats Republican 18 Democratic 13 Total 31
House of Representatives [ edit ] Before and after the election, the composition of the state house was:
Party # of seats Republican 83 Democratic 67 Total 150
^a b c d Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear ^ Sterett (L) with 3%; Gruene (G) with 1% ^ Sterett (L) with 8% ^ Mark Ash (L) with 3% Partisan clients
^ Poll sponsored by Castañeda's campaign ^ "Texas elections, 2020" .Ballotpedia . RetrievedAugust 21, 2020 .^ Lily Hay Newman (August 27, 2020),"How to Vote by Mail and Make Sure It Counts" ,Wired.com , archived fromthe original on October 6, 2020 ^ Ura, Alexa (June 26, 2020)."U.S. Supreme Court declines Texas Democrats' request to allow all Texans to vote by mail" .The Texas Tribune . RetrievedFebruary 18, 2021 . ^ Application for a Ballot by Mail ^ "Live: Texas State Primary Election Results 2020" .The New York Times . June 29, 2020. RetrievedAugust 20, 2020 .^ Chapa, Sergio (March 5, 2020)."Railroad Commission candidate may have had the Wright name" .Houston Chronicle . ^a b Price, Asher (February 17, 2020)."Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton faces primary opponent" .Austin American-Statesman . ^a b c d e f g h "Official Canvass Report - 2020 March 3rd Republican Primary" (PDF) .Texas Secretary of State .^ Svitek, Patrick (October 16, 2019)."Dallas attorney Chrysta Castañeda to challenge Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton" .The Texas Tribune . ^ Buchele, Mose (July 1, 2020)."Meet The Two Democrats Who Want To Run For Railroad Commission" .KUT . ^ "Voter Guide - Kelly Stone" .The Dallas Morning News .^a b c d e f g h "Official Canvass Report - 2020 March 3rd Democratic Primary" (PDF) .Texas Secretary of State .^ "Official Canvass Report - 2020 July 14th Democratic Primary Runoff" (PDF) .Texas Secretary of State .^a b c d YouGov/University of Houston ^ Data for Progress (D) ^ Global Strategy Group (D) ^a b c d e f g h "Official Canvass Report - 2020 November 3rd General Election" (PDF) .Texas Secretary of State . November 2020.^a b c d e f g h i j "Texas 2020 election results" . November 3, 2020.^ Morris, Angela (January 6, 2020)."Chief Justice's Election Bid Puts Spotlight on Texas' Mandatory Judicial Retirement" .law.com . ^ Autullo, Ryan (October 2, 2019)."Travis district court Judge Clark Meachum eyes top spot on Texas Supreme Court" .Austin American-Statesman . ^ Platoff, Emma (February 14, 2020)."Judge calls opponent "selfish" for wanting to "break barriers" as first elected female chief justice of Texas Supreme Court" .Texas Tribune . ^ Platoff, Emma (August 26, 2019)."Gov. Greg Abbott selects former appeals court judge Jane Bland for Texas Supreme Court" .Texas Tribune . ^a b c Lindell, Chuck (February 17, 2020)."Suddenly, Democrats flush with candidates for 2 top courts" .Austin American-Statesman . ^ "We recommend Larry Praeger in Democratic primary for Supreme Court, Place 6 [Editorial]" .The Houston Chronicle . February 14, 2020.^ "Brandy Voss Seeks Place 7 on the Texas Supreme Court" .Texas Border Business . July 15, 2019.^ "In the Democratic Primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7, here's our recommendation" . January 24, 2020.^ "Voter Guide - Brett Busby" .The Dallas Morning News .^ "Justice Gisela Triana announces run for Texas Supreme Court" .The Orange Leader . August 4, 2019.^a b Platoff, Emma (February 26, 2020)."This judge refused to toss Rick Perry's indictment. Now Perry is backing his opponent in Court of Criminal Appeals race" .Texas Tribune . ^a b Bingamon, Brant (February 21, 2020)."Balancing the Scales of Justice on Texas' Most Important Courts" .The Austin Chronicle . ^ "Voter Guide - Dan Wood" .The Dallas Morning News .^ "Voter Guide - Kevin Patrick Yeary" .The Dallas Morning News .^a b "In the Democratic primary for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4, here's our recommendation" .The Dallas Morning News . January 23, 2020.^ "Voter Guide - David Newell" .The Dallas Morning News .^ "Voter Guide - Brandon Birmingham" .The Dallas Morning News .^ Brent Kendall; Alexa Corse (October 11, 2020),"Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio See Court Rulings Over Mail Ballots" ,The Wall Street Journal ,Both political parties are mounting legal challenges across many states, with mail-in voting at the center ^ "Covered Areas for Voting Rights Bilingual Election Materials—2015" ,Voting Rights Act Amendments of 2006, Determinations Under Section 203 ,Federal Register , retrievedOctober 13, 2020 ,A Notice by the Census Bureau on 12/05/2016 Nick Corasaniti;Stephanie Saul ; Patricia Mazzei (September 13, 2020),"Big Voting Decisions in Florida, Wisconsin, Texas: What They Mean for November" ,The New York Times , archived fromthe original on September 13, 2020,Both parties are waging legal battles around the country over who gets to vote and how David Weigel ; Lauren Tierney (September 22, 2020),"The 50 political states of America" ,Washingtonpost.com , archived fromthe original on October 11, 2020,Texas "Texas governor cuts back on voting locations weeks before election" ,BBC News , UK, October 1, 2020,Texas' governor has ordered that voters can drop off their mail-in ballots at only one location per county Elise Viebeck (October 2, 2020),"Voting rights advocates sue to block Texas governor's order limiting counties to one ballot drop-off location" ,Washingtonpost.com "US election 2020: Texas judge blocks postal voting restrictions" ,BBC News , UK, October 10, 2020"Voter suppression: At risk of losing Texas, Republicans scheme to limit Democratic votes" ,Economist.com , October 10, 2020Michelle Ye Hee Lee ; Amy Gardner; Brittney Martin (October 14, 2020),"Early voting begins in Texas with high turnout, despite new legal developments on voting access" ,The Washington Post Dan Balz (October 18, 2020),"Texas is the most intriguing political state in the country this fall" ,The Washington Post Elections Division at theTexas Secretary of State official websiteTexas atBallotpedia Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association,"Texas" ,Voting & Elections Toolkits "Texas: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links" ,Vote.org , Oakland, CAUniversity of Texas Libraries ,"Voting and Elections" ,Research Guides "League of Women Voters of Texas" . (state affiliate of the U.S.League of Women Voters )Texas 2019 & 2020 Elections ,OpenSecrets "Election Guides: Texas" ,Spreadthevote.org (in English and Spanish), archived fromthe original on October 4, 2020, retrievedOctober 7, 2020 . (Guidance to help voters get to the polls; addresses transport, childcare, work, information challenges)"State Elections Legislation Database" ,Ncsl.org , Washington, D.C.:National Conference of State Legislatures ,State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020
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