Elections were held in Texas on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Its primaries were held on March 3, 2020, with runoffs taking place on July 14.
In addition to the U.S. presidential race, Texas voters elected the Class II U.S. senator from Texas, one of three members of the Texas Railroad Commission, eight of 15 members of the Texas Board of Education, all of its seats to the House of Representatives, four of nine seats on the Supreme Court of Texas, three of nine seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 21 of 80 seats on the Texas Appellate Courts, all of the seats of the Texas House of Representatives and 17 of 34 seats in the Texas State Senate.
To vote by mail, registered Texas voters had to request a ballot by October 23, 2020. After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid to expand eligibility for requesting postal ballots, 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.Application for a Ballot by Mail
In the primaries, Democratic voters outnumbered Republican voters. In the general election, no net changes occurred in any federal position, nor any statewide officer position, any legislative or judicial chamber, although Democrats gained District 5 on the State Board of Education.
Federal President of the United States
Texas has 38 electoral votes in the Electoral College.
United States Class II Senate Seat
United States House of Representatives
There were 36 U.S. Representatives in Texas up for election in addition to six open seats.
Executive Railroad Commissioner
Republican primary Nominee Jim Wright, cattle rancher
Eliminated in primary Ryan Sitton, incumbent Railroad Commissioner
Primary results
Democratic primary Nominee Chrysta Castañeda, oil and energy industry attorney
Eliminated in runoff Roberto Alonzo, former state representative (2003–2019)
Eliminated in primary Kelly Stone, environmental activist Mark Watson, attorney
Primary results
Runoff results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JimWright (R) ChrystaCastañeda (D) Other UndecidedYouGov/University of HoustonYouGov/University of HoustonOctober 13–20, 20201,000 (LV)± 3.1%47% 38% 4% 11%Data for Progress (D)Data for Progress (D)August 20–25, 20202,295 (LV)± 2.0%39%33% –25%Global Strategy Group (D)Global Strategy Group (D)August 11–13, 2020700 (LV)± 3.7%37%31%8%24%
Results
State Board of Education Eight of 15 seats of the Texas Board of Education were up for election. Before the election the composition of that board was:
Party # of seats Republican 10 Democratic 5Total15
Member, District 1 Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
Member, District 5 Republican primary
Democratic primary
Libertarian convention
General election
Member, District 6 Republican primary
Democratic primary
Libertarian convention
General election
Member, District 8 Republican primary
Libertarian convention
General election
Member, District 9 Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
Member, District 10 Republican primary
Democratic primary
Libertarian convention
General election
Member, District 14 Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
Member, District 15 Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
Judicial Supreme Court of Texas
Chief Justice
Incumbent Chief Justice Nathan Hecht ran for re-election to his last term.
Republican primary Candidates Nathan Hecht, incumbent Chief Justice
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Amy Clark Meachum, Judge of the Travis County District Court (201st District) Jerry Zimmerer, Associate Justice of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals of Texas
Results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error NathanHecht (R) Amy ClarkMeachum (D) Other UndecidedYouGov/University of HoustonOctober 13–20, 20201,000 (LV)± 3.1%48% 40% 3% 9% Results
Place 6
Incumbent Justice Jane Bland was appointed by Governor Abbott in 2019 to replace Jeff Brown. Justice Bland ran to finish the remainder of Brown's term ending in 2024.
Republican primary Candidates Jane Bland, incumbent Associate Justice
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Kathy Cheng, civil and commercial litigation attorney Larry Praeger, family law attorney
Results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JaneBland (R) KathyCheng (D) UndecidedYouGov/University of HoustonOctober 13–20, 20201,000 (LV)± 3.1%49% 40% 11%
Results
Place 7
Incumbent Justice Jeff Boyd ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary Candidates Jeff Boyd, incumbent Associate Justice
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Brandy Voss, McAllen-based appellate attorney Staci Williams, Judge of the Dallas County District Court (101st District)
Results
General election Results
Place 8
Incumbent Justice Brett Busby ran for a full six-year term after being appointed by Governor Abbott in 2019 due to the retirement of Phil Johnson.
Republican primary Candidates Brett Busby, incumbent Associate Justice Results
Democratic primary Candidates Peter Kelly, Associate Justice of the First Court of Appeals of Texas Gisela Triana, Associate Justice of the Third Court of Appeals of Texas
Results
General election Results
Court of Criminal Appeals
Place 3
Incumbent Judge Bert Richardson ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary Candidates Gina Parker, Waco-based criminal defense attorney, former Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Commissioner Bert Richardson, incumbent judge
Results
Democratic primary Candidates William Pieratt Demond, constitutional rights attorney Elizabeth Davis Frizell, former Judge of the Dallas County Criminal District Court (2007–2017) Dan Wood, Terrell-based appellate attorney
Results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BertRichardson (R) ElizabethDavis Frizell (D) UndecidedYouGov/University of HoustonOctober 13–20, 20201,000 (LV)± 3.1%48% 38% 14%
Results
Place 4
Incumbent Judge Kevin Yeary ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary Candidates Kevin Yeary, incumbent judge
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Tina Yoo Clinton, Judge of the Dallas County Criminal Court (No. 1) Steven Miears, Grapevine-based criminal appellate attorney
Results
General election Results
Place 9
Incumbent Judge David Newell ran for re-election to a second six-year term.
Republican primary Candidates David Newell, incumbent judge
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Brandon Birmingham, Judge of the Dallas County District Court (292nd District)
Results
General election Results
Legislature
All 150 seats of the Texas House of Representatives and 16 of 31 seats of the Texas State Senate were up for election.
Senate
Before the election, the composition of the state senate was: Party # of seats Republican 19 Democratic 12Total31 After the election, the composition of the state senate was: Party # of seats Republican 18 Democratic 13Total31
House of Representatives
Before and after the election, the composition of the state house was: Party # of seats Republican 83 Democratic 67Total150
See also Postal voting in the United States, 2020 Bilingual elections requirement for Texas (per Voting Rights Act Amendments of 2006)
Notes
Partisan clients
References
Further reading
External links
Elections Division at the Texas Secretary of State official website
(state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
. (Guidance to help voters get to the polls; addresses transport, childcare, work, information challenges)