Politics
Nearly 196,000 North Texans voted early on midterm Election Day’s opening day
Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties all recorded more first-day early votes than in the 2022 midterms. Turnout in three counties remained below the opening-day totals from the 2024 presidential election.
Nearly 196,000 ballots were cast across Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties on Monday, Oct. 19, the first day of early voting for the 2026 midterm elections. Each county reported more first-day votes than in the 2022 midterms, though only Dallas County surpassed its 2024 presidential-election total.
Dallas County recorded 76,079 ballots, compared with 56,431 on the first day of early voting in 2024 and 32,605 in 2022, according to county election officials and Texas Secretary of State data.
Tarrant County counted 50,409 ballots. That was up from 29,197 in 2022 but below the 58,487 cast on the opening day of early voting in 2024. Denton County reported 34,739 votes, more than 17,000 above its 2022 total but nearly 16,000 below its 2024 figure of 50,661.
In Collin County, 34,522 ballots were cast—about 15,000 more than in 2022 and nearly 10,000 fewer than the 43,987 recorded on the first day of early voting in 2024.
Voting in parts of Collin County was delayed Monday morning by ballot-printer problems at about 10 locations, the county’s election commissioner said. Service was later restored, but officials had not determined how long the disruption lasted or how many voters were turned away or unable to cast a ballot.
Early voting runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; voters in line by 7 p.m. can still cast a ballot.