AUSTIN, Texas — It's that time of year again: election season. This July, Texans' ballots will be packed with runoff elections for everything from the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate to Travis County's district attorney, plus a special election to replace former State Sen. Kirk Watson for Texas Senate District 14.
This election comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has lead to an extensive legal battle over mail-in voting in Texas and numerous preparations by local elections offices ahead of Election Day.
The Travis County clerk said if you applied for a ballot by mail but did not check a party, you will only receive a ballot for the special election, if you live in Senate District 14. If you want to vote in the primary runoff, you will need to surrender your ballot at a polling location and vote in person.
Early voting for the July election runs from Monday, June 29, until Friday, July 10, and Election Day is Tuesday, July 14. On July 5, polls will be open from noon until 6 p.m., and from July 6 through July 10, polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Not sure what you'll see on your ballot? We broke down the national, state and local elections Central Texans can vote in this summer.
National Elections
Four U.S. House of Representatives districts are holding primary runoff elections this July, and voters will also have the opportunity to decide which Democrat will be up against Sen. John Cornyn for a Senate seat in November.
Here's a breakdown of the national races on July's ballot:
U.S. Senate
Democrats M.J. Hegar and State Sen. Royce West will face off in a primary runoff election. Whoever wins will go up against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R) on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Several U.S. House of Representatives districts are holding primary runoff elections in July.
District 10 (Austin) is holding a runoff for the Democratic candidate who will face incumbent Rep. Michael McCaul (R) in November. The candidates are:
- Mike Siegel (D)
- Pritesh Gandhi (D)
District 17 (Round Rock) is holding runoff elections for both the Republican and Democratic parties because incumbent Rep. Bill Flores (R) is retiring. The candidates are:
- Rick Kennedy (D)
- David Anthony Jaramillo (D)
- Former U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R)
- Renee Swann (R)
District 31 (Round Rock/Georgetown) is holding a runoff for the Democratic candidate who will face incumbent Rep. John Carter (R) in November. The candidates are:
- Christine Eady Mann (D)
- Donna Imam (D)
And District 35 (Austin) is holding a runoff for the Republican candidate who will face incumbent Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D) in November. The candidates are:
State Elections
Texas State Sen. Kirk Watson is retiring, so a special election will be held for Texas Senate District 14 (Austin/Bastrop) at the same time as the primary runoff. The candidates are:
- State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D)
- Former Travis County judge Sarah Eckhardt (D)
- Waller Thomas Burns II (R)
- Don Zimmerman (R)
- Jeff Ridgeway (I)
- Pat Dixon (L)
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Two Texas House of Representatives districts are also holding runoffs in July.
District 45 (Blanco/Hays) is holding a runoff for the Republican who will face incumbent Texas Rep. Erin Zwiener (D). The candidates are:
- Carrie Isaac (R)
- Kent "Bud" Wymore (R)
And District 47 is holding a runoff for the Republican who will face incumbent Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D). The candidates are:
- Jennifer Fleck (R)
- Justin Berry (R)
A runoff election is also being held for Texas Railroad Commissioner. Incumbent Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton (D) lost in the March primary, so the remaining candidates are:
- Chrysta Castaneda (D)
- Roberto R. "Beto" Alonzo (D)
And finally, a runoff election is being held for the Texas Board of Education - District 5. The candidates are:
- Robert Murrow (R)
- Lani Popp (R)
Local Elections
Two major offices in Travis County will also hold runoff elections in July.
For Travis County district attorney, incumbent Margaret Moore (D) is facing Jose Garza (D) on the ballot.
And incumbent Travis County Attorney Davis Escamilla is retiring. For the opportunity to replace him, Austin Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza (D) and Laurie Eiserloh (D) are running against each other in a runoff.
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Be sure to visit KVUE.com/VoteTexas for the latest election updates and KVUE.com/elections for live results on Election Day.
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- Texas appeals court allows expansion of voting by mail during ongoing legal fight
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