Texas Secretary of State
Texas's chief election office, appointed by the governor, which publishes the state's official results.
Last refreshed: 5 November 2026
When will Texas make its 2026 results official?
Timeline for Texas Secretary of State
Published the unofficial feed with all 254 counties
US Midterms 2026: Talarico beats Paxton by 1.2m in TexasBackground
The Texas Secretary of State's unofficial results feed, with all 254 counties reporting on 4 November 2026, showed James Talarico beating Ken Paxton for the Senate by 5,444,982 votes to 4,249,373. The same feed showed Gina Hinojosa unseating Governor Greg Abbott.
Unlike most Texas statewide offices, the Secretary of State is not elected. The governor appoints the office-holder, subject to confirmation by the Texas Senate. The office is the state's chief election officer and administers the Texas Election Code. It also keeps business filings and the state seal, appoints notaries public and advises the governor on Mexico and border affairs. It is based in the James Earl Rudder State Office Building in Austin.
The feed's totals stay unofficial until counties canvass their returns and the state canvasses the statewide races.
Who appoints the Texas Secretary of State?
What does the Texas Secretary of State do?
Who won the 2026 Texas Senate race?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 5 November 2026. Editorial standards.