(Texas Scorecard) – State senators have passed a measure to consolidate Texas election dates, intending to eliminate voter confusion and increase electoral efficiency.
Senate Bill 1209 by State Sen. Byran Hughes (R-Mineola) keeps the March primary election and the May primary runoff, but it requires local elections and most special elections to be held in November alongside the general election.
On Monday when laying out the bill, Hughes explained that Harris and Dallas Counties, which held seven and six elections respectively in 2022, had lower voter turnout for non-November elections.
“Elections are costly and they’re resource intensive, and since each election has a substantial fixed cost, the cost per vote increases significantly in a low turnout election,” Hughes emphasized.
Hughes said this measure will save “taxpayers money by having fewer elections.”
Christine Welborn, president of election security organization Advancing Integrity, told Texas Scorecard, “Uniform elections increase voter turnout, decrease voter burnout, and even save Texans money.”
“Local elections directly affect the day-to-day lives of Texans yet they are held separately causing less participation and less transparency,” Welborn said. Her organization highlighted that in 2024, many Texans were asked to vote five or six times.
The measure passed in a vote of 20-10 and now heads to the Texas House.
