This election year will be a big one for Texas. Not only will voters have to choose a president, incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is up for re-election, and the field to be his Democratic challenger is a crowded one.
This primary election is also set to be a showdown between Gov. Greg Abbott and State Attorney General Ken Paxton. While Abbott is endorsing candidates who will help pass his school voucher agenda, Paxton is endorsing candidates running against the lawmakers who voted to impeach him.
WHEN
Election Day: Tuesday, March 5, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
VOTING BY MAIL
Information and directions on voting by mail are available here.
WHERE
A list of voting locations are on the map below.
WHAT TO BRING
A valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:
- Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS
- Texas Handgun License issued by DPS
- United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph
If you don’t have a valid photo ID, here are other options.
VOTING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
A person of your choice or an election worker can assist you at the polls but the person cannot be your employer or someone who represents your employer, or an officer or representative of your union.
If you're physically unable to enter the polling location, you can vote curbside. Send someone into the polling location to request an election worker meet you at the curb. If you're planning on arriving alone, call ahead to your county's elections office.
SELECTING YOUR BALLOT
Texas holds open primaries, so you do not need to have a party affiliation in order to vote. You may select only one of the two ballots for the Democratic and Republican primaries.
View the sample ballots for the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?
Coverage and analysis of key races relevant to the San Antonio and South Texas region are below.
U.S. Senate
Republican
- Ted Cruz
- Holland "Redd" Gibson
- R E (Rufus) Lopez
Analysis: Ted Cruz seeks a third term as Texas' junior U.S. senator. The conservative Republican faces a primary challenge from San Antonio Attorney R E (Rufus) Lopez and retired Houston resident Holland "Redd" Gibson.
The Cook Political Report rates the seat as likely to remain in Republican hands in the general election.
The rating suggests that while it may not be one of the most competitive races at the moment, there is potential for it to become engaged as November approaches.
Democrat
- Thierry Tchenko
- A. "Robert" Hassan
- Mark Gonzalez
- Steven J. Keough
- Roland Gutierrez
- Carl Oscar Sherman
- Heli Rodriguez Prilliman
- Meri Gomez
- Colin Allred
Analysis: Dallas Congressman Colin Allred and State Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio are two of the nine Democrats vying to take on Cruz. National Democrats have targeted this seat in their effort to keep control of the U.S. Senate.
The other candidates include political organizer Thierry Tchenko, businessman A. "Robert" Hassan, former Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez, retired Navy captain and law teacher Steven J. Keough, State Rep. and former DeSoto mayor Carl Oscar Sherman, Fort Worth entrepreneur Heli Rodriguez Prilliman, and Rio Grande Valley accountant Meri Gomez.
Political scientist Sharon Navarro at the University of Texas at San Antonio said any Democrat will have a major challenge to overcome compared to Cruz.
"Allred has been around making the speech circuits around for a few months now," she explained. "He still has a lack of recognition. We know that Roland Gutierrez is out there. And those are the two most well-known, if you could say that, even though they’re not well-known, because they lack name recognition."
Allred, a former NFL player and civil rights attorney, has a campaign war chest of nearly $8 million — more than Cruz, who has less than $6 million on hand.
"Ted Cruz is vulnerable," Navarro said. "We saw his vulnerability in the last senatorial election. Beto O’Rourke was within two percentage points of defeating Ted Cruz, and that signaled to Democrats ... that this will be a competitive race."
Gutierrez, an immigration attorney who previously served on the San Antonio City Council and in the Texas House, has less than $400,000. The other seven Democrats in the primary have much smaller war chests.
Mark Jones, a fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University, helped facilitate a recent poll that showed Cruz with a steady advantage over Allred. He also thought that any Democrat’s chances of taking over Cruz’s seat in the Senate will be low because of President Joe Biden’s unpopularity in the state.
If none of the nine Democrats secures more than 50% of the vote in the March primary, the top two finishers would go to a runoff election in late May.
U.S House District 15
Republican
- Monica De La Cruz
- Vangela Churchill
Democrat
- John Villareal Rigney
- Michelle Vallejo
Analysis: Texas' 15 Congressional District, which spans from Seguin to McAllen, was considered one of the most competitive congressional races in Texas in 2022.
Republican Monica De La Cruz defeated Democrat Michelle Vallejo by more than 8%. This time around, The Cook Political Report says the district favors Republicans as De La Cruz seeks a second term and Vallejo seeks a rematch.
In the GOP primary, De La Cruz faces assistant principal Vangela Churchill.
In the Democratic primary, Vallejo faces attorney John Villareal Rigney.
National Democrats are backing Vallejo, who manages a family run market and also co-founded an annual women’s entrepreneurship conference that provides resources and support for minority women in South Texas.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee opted to not support her when she ran in 2022, and it focused instead on Democratic incumbents in the Valley facing Republican challengers. But in January, the DCCC added Vallejo to its “Red to Blue” program, meant to support candidates attempting to unseat Republican incumbents.
U.S. House District 20
Democrat
- Joaquin Castro
Analysis: The six-term incumbent Joaquin Castro is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, and there are no Republicans running to challenge him. Texas' 20th Congressional District, which includes the western half of San Antonio and Bexar County, has never sent a Republican to Congress.
U.S. House District 21
Republican
- Chip Roy
Democrat
- Kristin Hook
Analysis: Chip Roy is seeking a fourth term representing the 21st Congressional District, which covers a wide swath of the Hill Country from Austin to San Antonio. The district became solidly red after recent redistricting.
The former Ted Cruz staffer from Austin is known for as conservative firebrand. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus.
Roy runs unopposed in the GOP primary.
On the Democratic side, challenger Kristin Hook is also running unopposed. She is a scientist who most recently worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. She is also a former middle school teacher and activist.
U.S. House District 23
Republican
- Tony Gonzales
- Frank Lopez Jr.
- Victor Avila
- Julie Clark
- Brandon Herrera
Democrat
- Lee Bausinger
- Santos Limon
Analysis: District 23 is massive and stretches from San Antonio to just east of El Paso. It covers the longest stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border of any district, and it includes both Eagle Pass and Uvalde.
The district has changed hands between Republicans and Democrats over the last decade, with Republicans holding an edge in recent years.
Tony Gonzales seeks a third term following a censure from the Republican Party of Texas in March 2023, which claimed that his votes in support of same-sex marriage and in favor of additional firearms restrictions violated the party’s principles.
The resolution also said his lack of support for a bill that would have placed additional limits on individuals in the country without legal permission violated party principles.
Although the censure frees the state Republican Party to take sides in the primary, the National Republican Congressional Committee said it will continue to support Gonzales.
His primary opponents include businesswoman Julie Clark, who was chair of the Medina County Republican Party when it introduced the resolution to censure Gonzales.
Victor Avila is a former law enforcement agent who survived a cartel ambush in Mexico in 2011.
Brandon Herrera is a firearms manufacturer and host of a YouTube channel focused on firearms-related content.
Francisco Lopez is an Army veteran and a retired Border Patrol officer. He is an ordained minister and founder of the Border Patrol Chaplaincy Program.
On the Democratic side, Navy veteran and engineer Lee Bausinger and civil engineer Santos Limon are running for the opportunity to challenge Gonzalez:
U.S. House District 28
Republican
- Jose Sanz
- Lazaro Garza Jr.
- Jay Furman
- Jimmy León
Democrat
- Henry Cuellar
Analysis: After two election cycles of close challenges from progressive Jessica Cisneros, Henry Cuellar is running unopposed in the Democratic primary to seek an eleventh term representing Texas' 28th Congressional District. It spans from Laredo to the Rio Grande Valley to South San Antonio.
Cuellar, who considers himself a centrist, is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
The Cook Political Report rates this seat "likely Democratic" and not yet competitive at this point.
However, national Republicans have targeted this race in recent years.
In the Republican primary, four candidates are vying for the chance to challenge Cuellar. They include Cuellar's former district director Jose Sanz, Army veteran and educator Jimmy León, rancher Lazaro Garza Jr., and Navy veteran Jay Furman.
U.S. House District 34
Republican
- Laura Cisneros
- Mayra Flores
- Mauro Garza
- Gregory Kunkle Jr.
Democrat
- Vicente Gonzalez
Analysis: Vicente Gonzalez seeks a second term representing Texas' 34th District in the Rio Grande Valley. The district was recently redrawn, which removed the outside metros of San Antonio and Victoria. The Cook Political Report considers this to be a competitive race that leans Democratic. Gonzalez is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
On the Republican side, former Congresswoman Mayra Flores is hoping for a rematch of 2022, when she lost the seat to Gonzalez by 8.5 percentage points. The Trump-endorsed candidate faces businessman Mauro Garza, oncologist Laura Cisneros, and cyber security specialist Gregory Kunkle Jr.
U.S House District 35
Republican
- Rod Lingsch
- Michael Rodriguez
- Brandon Craig Dunn
- Dave Cuddy
- Steven Wright
Democrat
- Greg Casar
Analysis: The incumbent Greg Casar, a former Austin councilman, is seeking his second term in Congress. Texas 35th Congressional District, which spans from San Antonio to Austin along I-35, is heavily Democratic.
On the Republican side, five candidates are vying to challenge Casar in November. They include veteran Michael Rodriguez, who lost in the GOP's 2022 primary runoff for this seat as well as former Air Force pilot and instructor Rod Lingsch, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the District 37 seat. The race also includes loss prevention auditor Brandon Craig Dunn of Buda, Buda real estate developer Dave Cuddy, and retired Kern County, California, deputy sheriff Steven Wright.
Texas Senate District 25
Republican
- Donna Campbell
Democrat
- Merrie Fox
Analysis: Republican Donna Campbell seeks her fourth term representing State Senate District 25, which stretches from San Antonio to New Braunfels and Boerne through the Hill Country.
Campbell, an emergency room physician and ophthalmologist, is unopposed in the Republican primary.
On the Democratic side, Merrie Fox is also unopposed. Fox is the executive director of Circle Arts Theatre in New Braunfels. She also worked as a public school teacher and principal for more than 30 years.
Texas House District 116
Republican
- Darryl W. Crain
Democrat
- Trey Martinez Fischer
Analysis: Trey Martinez Fischer seeks a fourth consecutive term representing Texas House District 116, the reliably blue district that spans from downtown San Antonio to the North West Side. He previously served in the seat from 2001 to 2017.
Martinez Fisher is the leader of the House Democratic Caucus. He is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
On the Republican side, San Antonio minister Darryl W. Crain is also unopposed.
Texas House District 117
Republican
- Ben Mostyn
Democrat
- Philip Cortez
Analysis: Philip Cortez seeks his fifth consecutive term representing Texas House District 117, another reliably blue district that covers South and West San Antonio.
The Air Force veteran and former San Antonio City Council member is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Republican Ben Mostyn, an Army veteran and San Antonio real estate agent, is unopposed in the GOP primary.
Texas House District 118
Republican
- John Lujan III
Democrat
- Kristian Carranza
- Carlos Quezada
Analysis: John Lujan III won the seat in a special election in November 2021 by 3.6 percentage points. Lujan, who owns an IT company, also previously served in the seat after a special election in 2016. He does not have any Republican challengers in the primary.
On the Democratic side, political organizer Kristian Carranza and former district court Judge and prosecutor Carlos Quezada are vying for the chance to challenge Lujan.
Carranza is the regional director for the Democratic National Committee and has worked on high profile campaigns including Wendy Davis and Hillary Clinton.
Texas House District 119
Republican
- Dan Sawatzki
- Brandon J. Grable
Democrat
- Charles Fuentes
- Elizabeth "Liz" Campos
Analysis: Elizabeth "Liz" Campos seeks a third term representing Texas House District 119, a reliably blue district that covers parts of Southern and Eastern San Antonio. Campos faces a primary challenge from Charles Fuentes, an AT&T technician and legislative director with the Communications Workers of America.
The Republican primary pits Army veteran and attorney Brandon J. Grable against Air Force veteran and software developer Dan Sawatzki.
Texas House District 120
Democrat
- Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
Analysis: Democrat Barbara Gervin-Hawkins faces no primary or general election challenges in her quest for a fifth term representing Texas House District 120. The educator and construction company owner served in this seat since 2016, which includes parts of San Antonio and Converse and encompasses Windcrest and Kirby.
Texas House District 121
Republican
- Steve Allison
- Michael Champion
- Marc LaHood
Democrat
- Shekhar Sinha
- Laurel Jordan Swift
Analysis: Steve Allison seeks a fourth term representing Texas House District 121, which covers North and Central San Antonio, including Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills.
This time, he can't count on the endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott or Attorney General Ken Paxton. They both endorsed challenger Marc LaHood after Allison voted against Abbott's school voucher program and voted to impeach Paxton.
At a recent debate hosted by the San Antonio Report, Allison reiterated his opposition to taxpayer money being spent on private education. “One, that’s not conservative. That’s not Republican. If that matters. But an entitlement program like that … that discriminates … just in a select few. I can't abide by that. I don't think we want that. don’t think Texas wants that," he said.
LaHood doubled down on his support of vouchers. “School choice is about not school boards, not superintendents," he said. "It’s about our children — nothing more important than that — and making sure they have the tools to succeed.”
Moderator Andrea Drusch asked both candidates if they trusted Paxton to do his job following revelations of corruption during his impeachment trial last year.
"No. No, I don't," Allison said. "I think the people of Texas deserve much better."
LaHood disagreed: "If you don't like him, you don't elect him. You don't just kick him out of office."
There is a third candidate in the Republican primary for Texas House District 121 who did not participate in the debate. Michael Champion is a physician assistant who served in the Army and the Texas State Guard.
Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping that discord among the Republicans could help them flip this seat. Retired IT professional Shekhar Sinha and medical sales professional Laurel Jordan Swift are in the race. They both oppose vouchers.
Texas House District 122
Republican
- Mark Dorazio
Democrat
- Kevin Geary
Analysis: Mark Dorazio seeks a second term representing Northwest San Antonio. The former chair of the Bexar County Republican Party does not face a primary opponent in this red leaning district, but there is a Democrat running.
USAA attorney Kevin Geary does not face a primary opponent so Geary will advance to challenge Dorazio in the general election.
Texas House District 123
Democrat
- Diego Bernal
Analysis: Diego Bernal faces no Democratic or Republican primary opponents. Bernal represented the district that covers downtown to parts of the North Side since he won a special election in 2015.
Texas House District 124
Republican
- Sylvia Soto
Democrat
- Josey Garcia
Analysis: Josey Garcia, an Air Force veteran and police reform activist, seeks a second term to represent the reliably blue West Side district. Garcia does not face a primary opponent.
On the Republican side, NEISD math and science teacher Sylvia Soto Soto is unopposed and will challenge Garcia in the general election.
Texas House District 125
Democrat
- Ray Lopez
- Eric Michael Garza
Analysis: Ray Lopez seeks a fourth term representing the district on the Northwest Side, including Leon Valley. He is a former communications executive for AT&T and previously served as District 6 councilman.
Lopez faces a primary challenge from attorney Eric Micahel Garza. No candidates have filed on the Republican side.
County Commissioner Precinct 1
Republican
- Lina Prado
Democrat
- Amanda Gonzalez
- Anna Uriegas Bustamante
- Lawson Alaniz-Picasso
- Rebeca Clay-Flores
- Ismael Garcia
- Ernesto Arrellano Jr.
Analysis: Rebeca Clay-Flores seeks a second term representing Precinct 1 on the Bexar County Commissioner's Court. She was elected in 2020. Prior to that, she served as a special projects manager for San Antonio Metro Health.
She faces five opponents in the Democratic primary. They include Amanda Gonzalez, the former head of a nonprofit that supports the San Antonio Police Officers' Association.
Ernesto Arrellano Jr.is an Air Force veteran and business analyst for USAA. He serves on the South San Antonio ISD board of trustees. He's also a former board president and is a former San Antonio Water System trustee.
Lawson Alaniz-Picasso is a marketing professional who worked for former San Antonio District 1 City Councilman Roberto Treviño.
Anna Uriegas Bustamante is a music teacher at Southside High School. She has served on the Alamo Colleges District board of trustees for the past 15 years.
On the Republican side, Lina Prado is running unopposed for the opportunity to challenge Clay-Flores. Prado is a senior supply chain manager at Boeing who serves on the city's Airport Advisory Board.
County Commissioner Precinct 3
Republican
- Chris Schuchardt
- Grant Moody
Democrat
- Susan Korbel
Analysis: The North Side precinct, which includes Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills, is the only precinct that has been reliably Republican in recent years.
Grant Moody was elected in 2022 in a special election after Trish DeBerry vacated the seat in order to run unsuccessfully for Bexar County judge.
Moody is challenged in the Republican primary by Chris Schuchardt, who owns a trucking company and ran for San Antonio mayor in 2023.
Susan Korbel, who lost to Moody in 2022 by just over seven percentage points, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Korbel is a market research consultant and former Alamo Colleges District trustee.
Bexar County Sheriff
Republican
- Nathan Buchanan
- Victor A Mendoza
- Dennis Casillas
Democrat
- Sharon Rodriguez
- Javier Salazar
Analysis: Javier Salazar seeks a third term as Bexar County sheriff. He was an SAPD officer for 23 years before being elected in 2017.
Salazar faces a Democratic primary challenge from Sharon Rodriguez, a licensed Texas Peace Officer who ran unsuccessfully against Salazar in the 2020 Democratic primary for sheriff.
On the Republican side, Salazar's former deputy chief is running. Dennis Casillas is an Army veteran who worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office from 1983 through 2020, serving in the deputy chief role for his last three years. He is now the deputy chief over the Patrol West Substation.
Victor A Mendoza worked for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department for 19 years and is now a VIA Metropolitan Police Department officer.
Nathan Buchanan owns a cleaning company and previously worked for the Castle Hills Police Department. He ran unsuccessfully for Bexar County judge in 2022 and for Precinct 3 constable in 2016 and 2020.
County Constable Precinct 1
Democrat
- Ruben C. Tejeda
- Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez
Analysis: Ruben C. Tejeda, who has held the Southwest Bexar County seat for more than three decades, previously served as a Bexar County Deputy Sheriff.
He faces a challenge from Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez, who was the long-time Precinct 1 County Commissioner, serving four terms from 2004 to 2020. Prior to that, he worked as a Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy and as a lineman for CPS Energy.
There are no Republican candidates for this seat.
County Constable Precinct 2
Republican
- Paul Alexander Canales
Democrat
- Leticia Rodriguez Vazquez
Analysis: Leticia Rodriguez Vazquez seeks a second full term representing the seat that covers the West Side of San Antonio. She was appointed to the seat in 2019 following the resignation of Michelle Barrientes Vela, and she was elected by voters in November 2020.
On the Republican side, Paul Alexander Canales is running unopposed and will challenge Rodriguez Vazquez in November. Alexander Canales previously worked in the Precinct 2 Constable's office.
County Constable Precinct 3
Republican
- Mark Vojvodich
- Jarrod Tubbs
Analysis: Mark Vojvodich, an Air Force veteran, has held the seat covering the North and Northwest sides for the past 15 years. He previously worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for 14 years.
Vojvodich faces a primary challenge from fellow Republican Jarrod Tubbs, who worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for eight years and currently is a reserve sergeant for the Guadalupe County Precinct 3 Constable's Office.
There are no candidates running on the Democratic side.
County Constable Precinct 4
Democrat
- Stan Ramos
- Neal Burford
- Kathryn "Kat" Brown
- Andrew (Andy) Lopez
Analysis: Kathryn "Kat" Brown seeks a second term in the East Bexar County seat. She previously worked in the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for just under two decades.
Brown faces a primary challenge from three fellow Democrats who have experience working in the office. They include former Precinct 4 County Constable Stan Ramos, who previously held the seat from 2017 to 2020 before losing re-election to Brown in the 2020 Democratic primary.
They also include Andrew (Andy) Lopez, who worked in the office for more than 30 years, as well as Neal Burford, an Army veteran who worked in the office for 29 years before retiring in 2020.
Bexar County Tax Assessor
Democrat
- Albert Uresti
- Hatem Merhi
Analysis: Albert Uresti has served as Bexar County’s tax assessor-collector for the past 12 years. Prior to that, he was city manager for several small cities in the region.
He faces a primary challenge from Hatem Merhi, who owns two businesses: a construction company and an audiovisual technology/cybersecurity company.
There are no candidates running on the Republican side.
State Board of Education District 1
Republican
- Michael (Travis) Stevens
Democrat
- Gustavo Reveles
Analysis: The 15-member State Board of Education is responsible for approving curriculum guidelines and instructional materials for Texas public schools. District 1 stretches from El Paso to a portion of Bexar County on the North and West sides. Democrat Melissa Ortega of El Paso currently represents the district. She was first elected in 2022 and is not running for re-election.
Republican Michael (Travis) Stevens and Democrat Gustavo Reveles are both running unopposed in their primaries. Stevens is a San Antonio educator who unsuccessfully ran for D1 in 2022. Reveles is the spokesman for an El Paso school district and a former reporter.
State Board of Education District 3
Democrat
- Marisa Pérez-Díaz
Analysis: Democrat Marisa Pérez-Díaz faces no primary or general election challenges in her bid for a fifth term representing District 3 on the State Board of Education. During her 12 years on the board, Pérez-Díaz played a pivotal role in the approval of Mexican American Studies courses.
District 3 includes most of Bexar County and several other interior South Texas counties stretching down to Starr County along the U.S. Mexico border.
Questions on the future of Texas
Along with picking the party nominees, Republican voters in Texas will also be polled on 13 questions and proposals that could indicate the future of Texas.
These questions are nonbinding. But it’s a way for the state’s leadership to take the temperature of the most important voters in Texas — the ones who show up for the Republican primaries.
They may be most interested in answers to Issue 9: "The Republican Party of Texas should restrict voting in the Republican primary to only registered Republicans."
There are four survey questions focused on the issue of immigration. They ask about requiring e-verify, prohibiting a pathway to citizenship, banning in-state tuition for quote “illegal aliens” and the creation of a state border protection unit to seal the border.
The Texas GOP also wants to know if Texans should be able to opt out of all vaccines.
Finally, the survey asks if the Texas should be able to create its own legal tender. That might be useful if Texas were to secede from the United States.
The Republican Party declined to add a question actually proposed by the Texas Nationalist Movement (TNM) asking voters if the Lone Star State should secede, even though the TNM claimed it had enough signatures for the question to qualify.
The Texas Supreme Court recently denied that group's request to intervene in the dispute. The TNM told KERA it may take other legal action to get the ‘Texit’ question added to the ballot.
WHAT'S NEXT
In any race, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two will be held in May.
KUT's Sangita Menon and Sarah Asch, KERA's Juan Salinas II and Rachel Osier Lindley, and Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider and Matt Harab contributed to this report.
