Election 2025: Some Texas Races Still Undecided

Texans across the state went to the polls on November 4 to vote on seventeen proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, as well as special elections to fill vacant seats. In the two most notable special elections - one for US Congressional District 18 and one for Texas Senate District 9 - no candidate received a majority (at least 50%) of the votes. As a result, voters in those districts will have to return to the polls January 31, 2026 to vote in runoffs.  Other runoffs in the state will take place on December 13.

The purpose of runoff elections is to ensure that the winning candidate has support from a majority of their constituents, but results paint a different picture: a 2024 FairVote report on federal primary runoffs found that turnout falls by an average of 40%. In addition, runoffs are costly for taxpayers.

Instant runoff voting (IRV) is a faster, cheaper, better alternative - promoting majority rule without the hassle or expense of runoff elections. More voters can make their voices heard on a single, high-turnout Election Day.

Ranked Choice Voting Locally Points the Way to Better Elections Nationally

In the November elections, ranked choice voting (RCV) was used successfully in 14 cities and counties across the nation to elect mayors and city councils. The results establish RCV as a reform that gives voters more electoral choices and better campaigns. These elections continue to document RCV's ability to improve US politics in ways that would provide relief for so many disillusioned and frustrated Americans.

FairVote has done a great job of tracking these elections and reporting on the outcomes. Within a day of the final cast votes, FairVote had already provided detailed and nuanced analysis that really lets us see the specifics of what happened in these elections and what real reform looks like.

For example, St. Paul, Minnesota, saw the highest turnout for a mayoral contest since at least 1999. Incumbent mayor, Melvin Carter, was challenged by four candidates, including the eventual winner, Kaohly Her. Unlike in many 'winner take all" contests, the tone of this campaign stayed relatively positive as each candidate tried to court the second and third ranked choices from the supporters of other candidates. As a result, voters saw more of a focus on issues and coalition-building.

Fort Collins also illustrated the advantages of RCV in its first time use in local elections. Candidates praised each other and differentiated themselves through their positions on the issues and their personal qualities instead of viciously attacking their opponents. This is definitely the type of change that national US politics desperately needs.

Across all of the mayoral contests reported on in the FairVote article, RCV led to an average of 19% more voters having their vote count to make a difference in the outcome of these elections. That means a lot more people had a sense that their votes counted and were not thrown away, either by picking a candidate who had no chance of winning or by voting for a spoiler candidate and allowing the "other side" to win.

The positives of RCV exhibited in these local elections are all ones that our national politics seriously need.

Excerpted from:  Democracy SOS

Get Involved: It Takes Each of Us

Runoffs Provide a Great Opportunity for
Education and Recruitment

The upcoming runoff elections in Texas can be an opportunity for us to get the word out about Instant Runoff Voting and how it can eliminate the need for runoffs.  This is especially true in the runoff election for the U.S. Congressional 18th District as well as the one for Texas Senate District 9. In addition, there are a number of runoff elections for local offices throughout the state.

All of these runoffs require voters to take time out of their day AGAIN to go to the polls to make their choices count.  The problem is, about 40% of us will not make that effort again, either because it is difficult to get off work again or the time is just not available in our schedules.  As a result, the winners of the runoffs do not have a majority of the vote from the regular election, even though getting 50% or more of the vote is the purpose of the runoff!  Voters that do take the time and effort to turn out may be receptive to our solution to eliminate the need for costly, low-turnout runoff elections.

If you would be interested in canvassing at the polls during the runoff elections, please email David Comeaux at [email protected] with your location and willingness to help us get the word out to more potential supporters.  He can then help you with material and support to canvas at a nearby local polling place to let people know about the benefits of Instant Runoff Voting and how they can help us to make it possible in Texas!

While instant runoff voting expands nationwide, we still have a LONG way to go here in Texas and need your help!

Whether it's contributing your time, donating to the cause, or spreading the word, every effort counts. Let's create elections that work for everyone.

Giving Tuesday is December 2

Please take a moment to understand why Instant Runoff Voting for Texas needs your help. Saving taxpayer and donor time and money by avoiding runoff elections and electing broadly supported candidates are now even more important. In Texas, our only path to enable a better way of voting is through the Texas legislature.  

We have an opportunity that could be a game changer!

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