Texas state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

Elections in Texas, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
• Early voting: Oct. 22 - Nov. 2
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 7

• Online registration: No
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Photo ID required
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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2018 Texas State Legislature elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	March 6, 2018
Primary Runoff	May 22, 2018

Past election results

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The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Texas State Senate and Texas House of Representatives were on March 6, 2018, and the Democratic primary runoff elections were on May 22, 2018. Republican primary elections were also scheduled for March 6, 2018, with runoff elections on May 22, 2018.
Texas primaries are open primaries, meaning a voter either does not have to formally affiliate with a political party in order to vote in its primary or can declare his or her affiliation with a party at the polls on the day of the primary even if the voter was previously affiliated with a different party.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was December 11, 2017. Fifteen of 31 seats were up in the state Senate, while all 150 state House seats were up.

HIGHLIGHTS

In 2018, there were 40 contested Texas state legislative Democratic primaries: 38 for state House seats and two for state Senate seats. Sixteen of these 40 primaries—all of them in the House—were challenges to incumbents. Five incumbents lost their primaries.

In 2016, there were 25 contested Texas state legislative Democratic primaries: 22 for state House seats and three for state Senate seats. Eleven of these 25 primaries—eight in the state House and three in the state Senate—were challenges to incumbents. None of the incumbents lost their primaries.

Texas became a Republican trifecta following the 2002 elections when Republicans took control of the state House and maintained control of the state Senate and the governor's office. Heading into the 2018 elections, Texas was one of 26 Republican trifectas.

Races to watch

Ballotpedia looked for races to watch in the Texas State Legislature 2018 Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other primaries and could possibly have led to changes in the membership of the Democratic caucus or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the Texas state legislative Democratic primary races to watch in 2018, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
3. The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.

Senate races to watch

This map shows the 2018 Texas State Senate Democratic primaries that we watched.

Senate District 10

Texas State Senate, District 10 Democratic Primary, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Beverly Powell	61.56%	23,052
Allison Campolo	38.44%	14,392
Total Votes		37,444
Source: Texas Secretary of State, "2018 Democratic Party Primary Election, Election Night Returns," accessed March 7, 2018 These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available.

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes.

What made this a race to watch?

Beverly Powell and Allison Campolo competed in a race that decided who faced state Sen. Konni Burton (R). Burton was first elected in 2014, taking the place of state Sen. Wendy Davis (D), who ran for governor. Powell backed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election while Campolo backed Bernie Sanders. Powell emphasized the need to win independent voters in the district (which voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election by less than one point), while Campolo emphasized her support for more government involvement in healthcare and opposition to large campaign donors.

House races to watch

This map shows the 2018 Texas House of Representatives Democratic primaries that we watched.

House District 46

Texas House of Representatives, District 46 Democratic Primary, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jose Vela	39.57%	6,209
Sheryl Cole	38.24%	6,000
Dawnna Dukes Incumbent	10.17%	1,595
Ana Cortez	8.13%	1,275
Casey McKinney	1.99%	312
Warren Baker	1.91%	300
Total Votes		15,691

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes.

What made this a race to watch?

Represented by Dawnna Dukes (D) since 1994, the district saw a change in its representative in 2018. Dukes faced criminal charges in 2017 related to public corruption and announced that she would retire. The charges were later dropped and Dukes reversed her retirement decision. Possibly due to these incidents, Dukes drew five challengers in the March 6 primaries. Dukes' challengers had been preparing to challenge her for two years, according to the Texas Tribune, potentially putting them in a position to defeat her. The district went for Hillary Clinton by 61 points in the 2016 presidential election, meaning it was not likely to flip in the November general election.

House District 47

Texas House of Representatives, District 47 Democratic Primary, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Vikki Goodwin	33.59%	5,347
Elaina Fowler	29.22%	4,651
Sheri Soltes	23.71%	3,774
Candace Aylor	7.39%	1,177
Will Simpson	6.09%	970
Total Votes		15,919

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Republican incumbent filed for re-election

What made this a race to watch?

Represented by Republican Paul Workman, Austin-based District 47 voted for Donald Trump (R) by 0.2 points in the 2016 presidential election. Workman was elected with 53.6 percent of the vote. Five Democrats filed to run for the seat in 2018: Candace Aylor, Elaina Fowler, Vikki Goodwin, Will Simpson, and Sheri Soltes. According to the Texas Tribune, Fowler and Goodwin were the frontrunners in the race. Goodwin received endorsements from the Central Austin Democrats and South Austin Democrats, while Fowler was endorsed by the Austin Chronicle due to her prior experience as a legislative staffer.

House District 104

Texas House of Representatives, District 104 Democratic Primary, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jessica Gonzalez	62.52%	3,570
Roberto Alonzo Incumbent	37.48%	2,140
Total Votes		5,710

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes.

What made this a race to watch?

Attorney Jessica Gonzalez challenged incumbent Roberto Alonzo, who was first elected in 1992. She cited Alonzo's positions on voting access, municipal control of fracking, and gentrification as the reasons for her challenge of him. She was endorsed by Dallas City Council members Omar Narvaez, Scott Griggs and Adam Medrano and the Dallas Morning News.

House District 116

Texas House of Representatives, District 116 Democratic Primary, 2018
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Trey Martinez Fischer	50.61%	4,742
Diana Arevalo Incumbent	49.39%	4,627
Total Votes		9,369

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes.

What made this a race to watch?

Former District 116 state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer challenged incumbent Diana Arevalo, who was first elected in 2016. Martinez Fischer left the seat to run for state Senate in 2016 and was defeated. The candidates do not disagree on policy, but Martinez Fischer argued that he would be a more effective legislator, pointing to his reputation for using procedural points of order to oppose Republican policies when he served in the state House. Arevalo argued that she served the district's constituents more effectively than Martinez Fischer by sending more newsletters and hosting more events.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

One Democratic state House incumbent did not seek re-election.

• Helen Giddings (District 109)

Incumbents defeated

Five Democratic state House incumbents were defeated in their primaries.

• Rene Oliveira (District 37)
• Dawnna Dukes (District 46)
• Roberto Alonzo (District 104)
• Diana Arevalo (District 116)
• Tomas Uresti (District 118)

Primary competitiveness, 2014-2016

When compared to other state legislatures, Texas was ranked 14 in primary competitiveness in 2016 and was ranked 11 in 2014. In this section, Ballotpedia shows data on competitiveness in state legislative Democratic primaries in Texas and across the nation. The following information is included in the charts below:

• Incumbent primary challenges: The number of incumbents who ran for re-election and faced a primary challenger.
• Incumbent primary challenges (%): The percentage of incumbents who faced primary challenges out of those who ran for re-election.
• Incumbent primary defeats: The number of incumbents who were defeated in their primaries.
• Incumbent primary defeats (%): The percentage of incumbents who were defeated out of those who faced challenges.
• Total Democratic primaries: The total number of Democratic primaries, counting those in seats held by incumbents of both parties and those that occurred in open seats.
• Total Democratic primaries (%): The percentage of races that held Democratic primaries out of all seats in the chamber that held elections.

These charts show data on competitiveness in Democratic primaries in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate from 2014 to 2016.

Texas House of Representatives Democratic primaries, 2014-2016
	Incumbent primary challenges		Incumbent primary defeats		Total Democratic primaries
Year	Raw number	%	Raw number	%	Raw number	%
2016	8	17.0 percent	0	N/A	22	14.7 percent
2014	10	18.5 percent	2	20.0 percent	11	7.3 percent

Texas State Senate Democratic primaries, 2014-2016
	Incumbent primary challenges		Incumbent primary defeats		Total Democratic primaries
Year	Raw number	%	Raw number	%	Raw number	%
2016	3	37.5 percent	0	N/A	3	18.8 percent
2014	1	33.3 percent	0	N/A	2	13.3 percent

Click [Show] on the boxes below to see data on competitiveness in all Democratic primaries in state houses and state senates from 2014 to 2016.

State House Democratic primaries, 2014-2016
	Incumbent primary challenges		Incumbent primary defeats		Total Democratic primaries
Year	Raw number	%	Raw number	%	Raw number	%
2016	318	18.5 percent	35	11.0 percent	599	12.7 percent
2014	330	16.3 percent	36	10.9 percent	N/A	N/A

State Senate Democratic primaries, 2014-2016
	Incumbent primary challenges		Incumbent primary defeats		Total Democratic primaries
Year	Raw number	%	Raw number	%	Raw number	%
2016	87	18.7 percent	4	4.6 percent	180	14.9 percent
2014	82	N/A	8	9.8 percent	N/A	N/A

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Texas utilizes an open primary system. Voters do not have to register with a party in advance in order to participate in that party's primary. The voter must sign a pledge stating the following (the language below is taken directly from state statutes)

“

The following pledge shall be placed on the primary election ballot above the listing of candidates' names: 'I am a (insert appropriate political party) and understand that I am ineligible to vote or participate in another political party's primary election or convention during this voting year.'

”

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Texas, all polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Texas is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Texas, an applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county in which he or she is registering, and at least 17 years and 10 months old.

The deadline to register to vote is 30 days before the election. Prospective voters can request a postage-paid voter registration form online or complete the form online and return it to the county voter registrar. Applications are also available at a variety of locations including the county voter registrar’s office, the secretary of state’s office, libraries, and high schools. Voter registration certificates are mailed to newly registered voters.

Automatic registration

Texas does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Texas does not permit online voter registration.

Same-day registration

Texas does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Prospective voters must reside in the county in which they are registering to vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Texas does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

State law requires election officials to conduct a check of registered voters' citizenship status. Section 18.068 of the Texas Election Code says the following:

“	The secretary of state shall quarterly compare the information received under Section 16.001 of this code and Section 62.113, Government Code, to the statewide computerized voter registration list. If the secretary determines that a voter on the registration list is deceased or has been excused or disqualified from jury service because the voter is not a citizen, the secretary shall send notice of the determination to the voter registrar of the counties considered appropriate by the secretary.	”
—Section 18.068, Texas Election Code

In January 2019, the Texas secretary of state’s office announced that it would be providing local election officials with a list of registered voters who obtained driver’s licenses or IDs with documentation such as work visas or green cards. Counties would then be able to require voters on the list to provide proof of citizenship within 30 days. The review was halted by a federal judge in February 2019, and Secretary of State David Whitley rescinded the advisory in April. A news release from Whitley’s office stated that “... going forward, the Texas Secretary of State's office will send to county voter registrars only the matching records of individuals who registered to vote before identifying themselves as non-U.S. citizens to DPS when applying for a driver's license or personal identification card. This will ensure that naturalized U.S. citizens who lawfully registered to vote are not impacted by this voter registration list maintenance process.”

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Texas Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

Click [show] to read about Texas' voter ID requirements

Texas requires voters to present photo identification while voting. The following list of accepted ID was current as of February 2023. Click here for the Texas Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information. Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS Texas handgun license issued by DPS United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph United States passport (book or card) Identification provided by voters aged 18-69 may be expired for no more than four years before the election date. Voters aged 70 and older can use an expired ID card regardless of how long ago the ID expired. Voters who are unable to provide one of the ID options listed above can sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and provide one of the following supporting documents: Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and an address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate Copy of or original current utility bill Copy of or original bank statement Copy of or original government check Copy of or original paycheck Copy of or original of (a) a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document) The following voters are exempt from showing photo ID: Voters with a disability Voters with a disability "may apply with the county voter registrar for a permanent exemption to presenting an acceptable photo identification or following the Reasonable Impediment Declaration procedure in the county." Voters who have a religious objection to being photographed Voters who do not have a photo ID can obtain a Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) at any Texas driver’s license office during regular business hours. Voters can also obtain an Election Identification Certificate from a mobile station. Locations are listed here.

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate as of October 2025:

Texas House of Representatives

Party		As of March 2018
	Democratic Party	55
	Republican Party	92
	Vacancies	1
Total		150

Texas State Senate

Party		As of March 2018
	Democratic Party	11
	Republican Party	20
	Vacancies	0
Total		31

Early voting

Texas permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Texas voters are eligible to vote absentee in an election if:

• They cannot make it to the polls on Election Day because they will be away from the county on Election Day and during early voting;
• They are sick or disabled;
• They are 65 years of age or older; or
• They are confined in jail.

To vote absentee, a request must be received by county election officials no later than close of regular business on the eleventh day before the election. The completed ballot must then be returned by the close of polls on Election Day.

See also

• Texas House of Representatives elections, 2018
• Texas state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• Texas State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2018