Early voting wrapped up Friday in the May 26 Primary Runoff Election, with more than 91,000 ballots cast across Travis and Williamson counties over five days — a combined turnout rate of roughly 6.6 percent of registered voters in the two-county area.
Travis County led in total volume, recording 60,399 early ballots from its 927,693 registered voters, while Williamson County tallied 30,995 from its 458,803 — a slightly higher participation rate of 6.76 percent compared to Travis County’s 6.51 percent. Both counties saw a pronounced Friday surge, with in-person traffic jumping roughly 60 percent above Thursday levels as voters rushed to beat the end of the early voting window ahead of Tuesday’s election.
In Travis County, Democrats outpaced Republicans in early balloting, casting 33,152 votes to the GOP’s 27,219 — a margin consistent with the county’s reliably blue lean.
Day-by-Day Trends
Turnout followed a clear pattern: a high first day, a mid-week dip, and a strong Friday surge.
- Monday, May 18 — 13,558 total (cumulative, including mail). The opening day was boosted by 6,348 mail ballots received, which inflated the Monday figure significantly. In-person traffic was 7,206.
- Tuesday–Thursday — In-person turnout settled into a narrow band of roughly 9,500–10,000 per day, with Wednesday (9,466) being the slowest day of the period.
- Friday, May 22 — By far the busiest in-person day at 16,292 voters — a 62% jump over Thursday and the clearest sign of end-of-period urgency. Friday alone accounted for nearly 31% of all in-person early votes.
Party Breakdown
Democrats outvoted Republicans in the in-person early voting, though the gap was relatively modest:
- Democrats: 27,816 in-person votes (52.5% of in-person total), plus 5,316 mail ballots = 33,132 total — representing 3.57% of registered voters.
- Republicans: 25,214 in-person votes (47.5%), plus 2,005 mail ballots = 27,219 total — representing 2.94% of registered voters.
Democrats held the lead every single day in-person, and the gap widened notably on Friday (9,345 Democratic vs. 6,947 Republican in-person voters). Democrats also dominated mail ballots by a wide margin — more than 2.6 to 1 (5,316 vs. 2,005).
It’s worth noting that Travis County as a whole leans heavily Democratic, so Republican participation in a primary runoff at nearly 3% of registered voters reflects a motivated GOP base given the context.
Busiest Locations
The top five in-person locations by total traffic were:
- Ben Hur Shrine Center — 4,586 total (2,941 D / 1,645 R)
- Austin Oaks Church — 2,875 (1,336 D / 1,539 R) — the top Republican location
- PfISD Rock Gym — 3,103 (1,349 D / 1,754 R) — also strongly Republican
- Balcones Woods Shopping Center — 2,738 (1,311 D / 1,427 R)
- Bee Cave City Hall — 2,592 (579 D / 2,013 R) — the most Republican-skewed major location
The partisan geography is telling. Ben Hur Shrine Center (central Austin) was the dominant Democratic hub. Bee Cave City Hall, PfISD Rock Gym (Pflugerville), Austin Oaks Church, and the Lakeway Activity Center were the strongest Republican locations, reflecting suburban and western Travis County GOP strength.
Conversely, locations like Wheatsville Food Co-op South Lamar (1,514 D / 275 R), Carver Branch Library (818 D / 126 R), and Austin Energy Headquarters (1,136 D / 304 R) showed overwhelming Democratic participation.
Takeaways
- Turnout, at 6.51%, is modest but typical for a primary runoff, which historically draws a small, engaged slice of each party’s base.
- Democrats showed stronger enthusiasm both in-person and especially by mail.
- The Friday surge was universal across both parties and nearly all locations, which is the norm as last-minute voters rush to avoid Election Day lines.
- The geographic split — Democrats concentrated in central and east Austin, Republicans stronger in the suburbs and western communities — is consistent with Travis County’s well-established political patterns.
Williamson County’s report did not break out party totals, though the county’s more competitive political landscape is expected to favor Republican primary turnout.
Overall Turnout
Williamson County recorded 30,995 total ballots during the five-day early voting period, representing 6.76% of its 458,803 registered voters — a slightly higher participation rate than neighboring Travis County (6.51%). Of the total, 28,069 were cast in person, 2,862 arrived by mail, 19 were limited ballots, and 45 were provisional ballots.
Day-by-Day Trends
Williamson County’s pattern differed somewhat from Travis County’s.
Rather than a strong first-day spike followed by a mid-week dip, turnout here was remarkably flat Monday through Thursday before surging on Friday.
- Monday, May 18 — 5,992 cumulative (4,110 in-person + 1,874 mail). Mail ballots again inflated Monday’s figure.
- Tuesday–Thursday — In-person daily totals were strikingly consistent: 5,761 / 5,142 / 5,060. The slight Thursday dip to 5,060 was the week’s low point in-person.
- Friday, May 22 — A jump to 7,996 in-person voters, a 58% increase over Thursday and the busiest day of the period. Friday accounted for about 28.5% of all in-person votes.
One notable contrast with Travis County: Williamson’s Monday in-person turnout (4,110) was actually lower than Tuesday’s (5,761), suggesting voters here were slower to start but more consistent mid-week.
No Party Breakdown Available
Unlike the Travis County report, the Williamson County data does not break out Republican and Democratic voters separately. This is consistent with Williamson County’s historical reporting practices. Given that Williamson County leans Republican — it has trended competitive but remains more conservative than Travis — it’s reasonable to expect the GOP primary drew the bulk of participation, though the data doesn’t confirm this directly.
Busiest Locations
The top five locations by total in-person traffic were:
- Georgetown Fire Station #6 — 3,551 (the clear leader, and notably Georgetown is the county seat)
- Cedar Park Recreation Center — 2,872
- Williamson County Jester Annex — 2,715
- GISD – Technology & Nutrition Services — 2,628
- Allen R. Baca Center — 2,407
Georgetown Fire Station #6 stood out as the dominant site, drawing more than 12% of all in-person votes on its own. The strong Cedar Park numbers reflect that city’s rapid population growth in recent years. The Leander Senior Activity Center (2,035) and Liberty Hill ISD Annex Gym (1,589) also posted solid numbers, reflecting growth in those fast-expanding communities along the US-183/183A corridor.
The smallest locations were Florence City Hall (211), Sleep Inn and Suites (298), and Jarrell Memorial Park Community Center (379) — all serving smaller, more rural communities in the northern part of the county.
Comparing Travis and Williamson Counties
| Travis County | Williamson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Voters | 927,693 | 458,803 |
| Total Early Votes | 60,399 | 30,995 |
| % Turnout | 6.51% | 6.76% |
| In-Person Votes | 53,030 | 28,069 |
| Mail Ballots | 7,321 | 2,862 |
| Friday In-Person Surge | +62% vs. Thu | +58% vs. Thu |
Williamson’s slightly higher turnout rate is notable. Its mail ballot volume was proportionally much lower — about 9.2% of its total versus 12.1% in Travis County — which may reflect the county’s more Republican-leaning electorate, as mail voting tends to skew Democratic. Both counties showed the same Friday end-of-period surge, suggesting that pattern is regional rather than county-specific.
A shooting investigation in Buda has been officially linked to last weekend’s multi-day shooting spree across South Austin and Manor, according to the Buda Police Department.
In a news release issued Friday, Buda detectives announced they have been working alongside the Austin Police Department to connect the dots. Investigators determined that a shooting reported on Sunday, May 17, in the 500 block of Main Street in Buda was part of the same violent crime spree that unfolded across the Austin metro area between May 16 and May 17.
Details of last weekend’s shooting spree:
- One firearm was stolen.
- Four people were struck by gunfire. Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries. One sustained critical injuries and was transported to a trauma center.
- Five vehicles were struck by gunfire.
- Four residences were struck by gunfire.
- Two fire stations were struck by gunfire.
- Three fire department vehicles were struck by gunfire.
- At least five vehicles were stolen.
A man is recovering after he was shot in the back and ribs during last weekend’s shooting spree across South and East Austin. His sister says his heart was missed by an inch.
16-year-old Jonathan De La Garza was also shot multiple times and is still recovering in the hospital.
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office says they are looking into a May 16 incident involving a large group of kids on e-motos.
Austin fire investigators are working to determine who set fire to a beloved landmark in one of the city’s oldest parks.
Mailn, a large troll sculpture that had become a fixture at Pease Park, was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning in what authorities are treating as a suspected arson. The loss of the hand-carved wooden figure — one of several giant troll sculptures created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo installed across the Austin area — has left neighbors and park-goers mourning a piece of the community’s public art identity. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
A former commander with the Austin Police Department has been indicted for engaging in a coercive sexual relationship with a City of Austin employee, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday. (CBS Austin)
Hays County detectives are asking for the public’s help identifying two suspects connected to a pair of storage unit burglaries in Dripping Springs and Wimberley earlier this month.
A gymnastics coach who used to work at a gym in Cedar Park faces two child indecency charges in another county.
Three men have been arrested in connection with a string of organized burglaries targeting stores at the San Marcos Premium Outlets.
A small fire at Waterloo Ice House in North Austin early Friday was quickly extinguished by AFD.
Austin Energy won approval to go after new power sources to keep up with the city’s growth.
Austin City Councilman Marc Duchen wrote an opinion piece for the Austin American-Statesman advocating for trim the number of total caps in the I-35 Cap and Stitch Project.
Waymo has suspended some driverless robotaxi service on freeways around the country following concerns about performance in construction zones. (Austin American-Statesman)
Texas game wardens and other law enforcement agencies say they are increasing patrols on land and on water this holiday weekend.
Rising lake levels are expected to draw even bigger crowds on the water over the long holiday weekend. Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer boating season. Last year in Texas, 50 people were killed and 77 suffered serious injuries in boating incidents. Most of those who died were not wearing a life jacket. (CBS Austin)
The ParkScore Index compares park systems in the 100 most populated U.S. cities. Austin has been ranked 47th in the country. (City of Austin)
Hays County health officials are urging residents to take precautions after a confirmed rabies case was reported in the Wimberley area. Authorities are advising pet owners to ensure their animals are up to date on rabies vaccinations and to avoid contact with wildlife, as the potentially fatal virus continues to circulate among local animal populations.
WEATHER
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…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING…
- WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.
- WHERE…A portion of south central Texas, including the following counties, Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Comal, De Witt, Fayette, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Lavaca, Lee, Llano, Medina, Travis, Williamson and Wilson.
- WHEN…Through Monday evening.
- IMPACTS…There is a potential for life threatening flooding somewhere in the watch area. Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Low-water crossings may be flooded.
- ADDITIONAL DETAILS… – Showers and thunderstorms will be capable of producing high rainfall rates which could quickly lead to flooding across the area. Many locations in the watch area have already received 1 to 3 inches over the past 5 days with a few areas having received over 5 inches. Additional rounds of heavy downpours could create rapid rises in creeks, streams, and rivers. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts up to 6 inches are possible for the duration of the Flood Watch.
FRIDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
It seems the change in our climate may be the reason why the slow steady rainfall days are in the past and the quicker, heavier rainfall days are here to stay.
This Memorial Day weekend marks ten years since floodwaters turned a holiday getaway into a tragedy for the small Hill Country town of Wimberley in Hays County.
In the early hours of Memorial Day weekend 2015, the Blanco River suddenly rose more than 40 feet, swelling to roughly a quarter mile wide in some places and carrying away nearly everything in its path. At least a dozen people perished, including eight whose vacation home was swept into the river and later slammed into the Ranch Road 12 bridge.
This Memorial Day weekend also marks 45 years since one of the deadliest disasters in Austin’s history.
In the early morning hours of May 25, 1981, nearly seven inches of rain turned normally quiet Central Texas creeks into raging torrents — and Shoal Creek, typically just one foot deep, rose fifteen feet over its banks. By the time the waters receded, thirteen people had lost their lives. The flood caused an estimated $36 million in damage, wiping out homes, businesses, and hundreds of vehicles.
Texas A&M Forest Service has lowered the state’s Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 2 as crews gain the upper hand on blazes that tore through the Texas Panhandle — but the fallout from one of those fires is far from over.
The so-called “Stinky Fire” rekindled and escaped the Amarillo City Landfill, burning more than 2,300 acres and destroying 52 homes while damaging 25 others.
Now, in the wake of that disaster, the city is facing serious accountability questions.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a sweeping lawsuit against online messaging platform Discord, accusing the tech giant of violating state law by deceiving parents about child safety and allowing predators to exploit minors. Filed Friday in a Collin County district court, the lawsuit alleges that Discord’s default settings and product design intentionally prioritized user growth over child protection, turning the platform into a “hunting ground” for bad actors. (Texas Scorecard)
Border Patrol agents intercepted a meth shipment worth nearly $15 million at the Pharr International Bridge.
President Trump’s last-minute endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the GOP Senate runoff against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn may have scrambled the race — but it could come at a steep cost. The endorsement deals a massive blow to Cornyn and carries major implications for the fight for the Senate majority. Paxton has faced a litany of political and personal scandals, and polls suggest the move may have handed Democrats an opening they haven’t had in Texas in decades.
Nearly 14 months and $135 million later, Texas’ blockbuster Republican Senate primary will finally be decided Tuesday. (Texas Tribune)
Trump’s killing off of John Cornyn’s political career was the last straw for Senate Republicans, who magically found the courage—for the moment—to oppose his thug fund and the cool billion dollars he’s demanding for his ballroom. And while the DNC autopsy shows a party not focused on winning, Jeffries and Schumer played a very shrewd hand with their anti-ICE DHS shutdown. Plus, the staggering amount of stock trades from the guy in the Oval Office, blue California’s herd mentality may end up sending a man with no message to the governor’s mansion, Trump is the Henry Ford of the Chinese auto industry, and Mike makes the case for bulldozing the new East Wing.
Mike Murphy joins Tim Miller for the holiday weekend pod.
(Episode from May 22, 2026)
After his family’s home was swept away in the devastating Central Texas floods on July 4, 2025, Texas Monthly senior editor Aaron Parsley began the journey of putting the pieces back together. It began with a magazine feature written days after the tragedy—for which he won a Pulitzer Prize—and continues here as he hosts this podcast series, Where the River Took Us. Through intimate conversations with family members and other survivors, this podcast explores how people endure unimaginable loss and how a community tries to rebuild, grow, and adapt after a mass tragedy.
(Episode from May 19, 2026)
SpaceX launched its new Version 3 Starship from South Texas in the program’s 12th test flight. The Super Heavy booster intentionally broke apart in the Indian Ocean.
A Fort Bend County family found an uninvited guest in their backyard pool.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL: In its second-ever game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, No. 5 Texas dropped an 8-1 result to No. 12 Arkansas at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on Friday afternoon. Arkansas (38-19) posted six runs across the first two innings and cruised the rest of the way to punch its ticket to the tournament’s semifinals on Saturday.
Next, the Longhorns turn their attention to the 2026 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament selection show, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday. (Texas Longhorns)
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: No. 3 Texas Softball fell in its NCAA Austin Super Regional opener vs. Arizona State, 4-1, Friday night at McCombs Field. The Longhorns will look to even the Super Regional at 7 p.m. CT Saturday, May 23. Texas is now 45-11 overall and 6-1 in the postseason. The loss snapped Texas’ seven-game win streak, which was the second-longest of the season. (Texas Longhorns)
The Longhorns will look to even the Super Regional at 7 p.m. CT this evening. Texas is now 45-11 overall and 6-1 in the postseason. The loss snapped Texas’ seven-game win streak, which was the second-longest of the season.
MLB: A quick look at Friday’s scoreboard.
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
NBA PLAYOFFS: From a historic 15-0 explosion to a bench-led comeback, Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals had it all. Despite the Spurs opening the night with the longest game-starting run in modern conference finals history, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a relentless Oklahoma City bench stormed back from a 15-point deficit to silence the San Antonio crowd. Behind SGA’s 26 points and a staggering 76-23 advantage in bench scoring, the defending champion Thunder secured a 123-108 victory on Friday night, taking a crucial 2-1 lead in this increasingly chippy Texas-sized showdown. (Associated Press)
GAME 4 SUNDAY
MLS: Austin FC heads to Missouri this afternoon to take on St. Louis City SC at Energizer Park in the team’s final match before the two-month break in MLS play for FIFA World Cup 2026. The match will kick off at 1:45 p.m. CT. (Austin FC)
Midfielder Dani Pereira has been called up to La Vinontinto (Venezuela) for their upcoming friendlies against Turkey and Iraq.
Houston is in the middle of the most expensive airport overhaul in its history: a reset of Terminal B, a rebuilt and expanded international core, and the supporting infrastructure needed to keep IAH functioning as a modern hub.
