Travis County Voters Post Strongest Midterm Opening Day in Recent Memory
Early voting turnout runs about 60% ahead of 2022 as big Texas counties report record or near-record starts.
AUSTIN — Oct. 20, 2026
Travis County voters turned out in force on the first day of early voting, with 40,777 people casting ballots in person Monday, according to unofficial county figures. That is roughly 60% more than the same day in 2022 and about 27% above 2018, based on the County Clerk’s comparison chart.
Adding mail ballots, the county’s combined day-one total reached 49,175, or 5.18% of registered voters, per the Elections Division report. (The county’s turnout dashboard shows 4.28% because it counts only in-person ballots against a slightly different voter-roll total.)
A steady, all-day crowd
Check-ins climbed through the morning and peaked at about 3,700 between noon and 1 p.m. They then held between roughly 3,500 and 3,700 an hour until about 6 p.m., before dropping off in the final hour.
2014–2022 values are approximate, read from the County Clerk’s chart; 2026 is the unofficial count.
Among the 44 locations that reported votes, Bee Cave City Hall led with 1,712 ballots, followed by the Ben Hur Shrine Center (1,551) and the PfISD Rock Gym (1,521).
The smallest totals came from the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility (478) and Chinatown Center (518). The Travis County Correctional Complex opens only on the final day, Oct. 30.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Texas’ big counties are surging too
Travis is not alone.
Other large counties reported strong openings, though the figures below come from different agencies and may not all count the same ballots.
| County | Day 1, 2026 | Day 1, 2022 | Day 1, 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 76,079 | 32,605 | 59,389 |
| Harris | 70,000+ (by 3:30 p.m.) | n/a | 63,188 (prior record) |
| Bexar | 42,333 | 32,005 | n/a |
| Travis | 40,777 | ~25,400 | ~32,000 |
| Denton | 34,700+ | 17,416 | 19,044 |
| Collin | 34,500+ | 18,991 | 33,350 |
| Tarrant | Not yet released | 29,197 | 41,956 |
Dallas County‘s first-day tally was a record for the county.
Harris County passed its 2018 midterm first-day record with more than three hours of voting still to go.
Bexar County‘s total was up about 32% from 2022.
What about Tarrant County?
Tarrant County, the closest counterpart to Travis in size, had not released a day-one total as of this morning. But signs point to heavy turnout.
Voters in Tarrant faced waits of 45 minutes or more at many of the county’s 47 early-voting sites, with some reporting waits as long as two hours. Tarrant has more than 1.3 million registered voters and has cut 92 polling sites for Election Day, which may push more people to vote early.
What it means
Early voting runs through Oct. 30, and Election Day is Nov. 3. In past midterms, Travis County turnout dipped over the first weekend and surged in the final days, so day one is an early signal, not a forecast.
Still, with Travis, Dallas, Harris and Bexar counties all running well ahead of 2022, election officials are preparing for a busy 12 days.
This article will be updated when Tarrant County releases its official day-one count.
Sources:
- Travis County Clerk Elections Division, “November 3, 2026 Joint General and Special Elections: Unofficial Early Voting In Person and By Mail Totals” (Daily Totals PDF), Oct. 19, 2026.
- Travis County Elections, “Unofficial Turnout” dashboard, refreshed Oct. 20, 2026 (electionlink.net).
- Travis County Clerk, “Daily turnout in comparison to previous midterm election years” graphic (votetravis.gov).
- Travis County Clerk, “Check-Ins Per Hour” chart, Oct. 19, 2026.
- Yahoo News / Dallas-area reporting, “North Texas counties report first day of early voting numbers,” Oct. 19–20, 2026. https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/north-texas-counties-report-first-022338915.html
- FOX 4 News, “Dallas County sees record turnout for first day of 2026 early voting.” https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-county-early-voting-2026-day-one-total
- Yahoo News, “If you voted in Harris County on Monday, you’re part of a new record,” Oct. 20, 2026. https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/voted-harris-county-monday-youre-004041435.html
- Texas Public Radio, “More than 42,000 vote on first day of early voting in Bexar County, up 32% from 2022,” Oct. 19, 2026. https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2026-10-19/more-than-42-000-vote-on-first-day-of-early-voting-in-bexar-county-up-32-from-2022
- WFAA, “Long lines greet Tarrant County voters on first day of early voting,” Oct. 19, 2026. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/elections/long-lines-greet-tarrant-county-voters-on-first-day-of-early-voting/287-9b2b9d92-d1c0-461e-970c-1d555c02c21f
- FOX 4 News, “North Texas early voting begins with long lines at some polling locations,” Oct. 19, 2026. https://www.fox4news.com/news/north-texas-early-voting-begins-long-lines-some-polling-locations
- Fort Worth Report, “Early voting runs Oct. 19-30 for Tarrant County midterms. Here’s what to know,” Oct. 19, 2026. https://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/19/early-voting-runs-oct-19-30-for-tarrant-county-midterms-heres-what-to-know/
- Community Impact, “Tarrant County voters cast nearly 63,000 ballots on first day of early voting” (2018 Tarrant in-person figure). https://communityimpact.com/grapevine-colleyville-southlake/tarrant-county-voters-cast-nearly-63000-ballots-on-first-day-of-early-voting/
Hundreds of Burnet and Webb parents signed petitions to close their children’s schools to avoid a district takeover, but some parents say they were pressured. (Austin Current)
In this week’s episode:
Parent Petition Validation (Burnet & Webb Middle Schools): The district received parent petitions on Oct. 15 under the Texas Education Agency (TEA) parent petition process. The superintendent will begin validating the petitions following the statewide enrollment snapshot on Oct. 30, with results submitted to the TEA by Dec. 1. District leadership reiterated its commitment to maintaining active engagement with the Burnet and Webb communities throughout the year.
And more…
(Episode from October 19, 2026)
Reporte Austin posted several accounts of ICE activity Monday in the ATX.
Arrests in the area of Cameron, 290, 183 and North Lamar.
On Interstate 35, between Braker and Rundberg.
At Bradbury and Linford, in the area of Dessau and Parmer Lane.
PODCAST
(Episode from October 19, 2026)
Austin Police detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify a woman wanted in connection with a stolen truck that was later involved in a hit-and-run crash that left one person injured.
According to APD, a white 2011 Ford F-250 was stolen from a mechanic shop along the 7200 block of the U.S. 290 Westbound service road late Tuesday, Oct. 6. The following morning, around 7:40 a.m., the stolen pickup struck another vehicle on Research Boulevard Northbound before the driver fled the scene on a yellow bicycle taken from the truck’s bed. The other driver sustained minor injuries.
Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department. (Austin Police Department)
An overnight crash in Caldwell County.
Starting today, October 20, travelers passing through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) will see updated service assignments across the airport’s four TSA security checkpoints:
- Checkpoint 1: Dedicated to TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, ADA assistance, priority lanes, touchless screening, and employee/CMAP access.
- Checkpoint 2: Serving as the primary TSA PreCheck lane, with flexibility to handle general screening overflow as needed.
- Checkpoint 3: Open for general screening, alongside CLEAR, ADA assistance, and priority lanes.
- Checkpoint 4: Dedicated exclusively to general screening.
Airport and city officials marked a key milestone Monday with the groundbreaking of its Utility Infrastructure Campus-Wide project—a crucial step setting the foundation for the airport’s future above-ground expansion.
Visit Austin expects Formula One weekend to deliver about $1 billion in economic impact, with hotels across Austin reaching up to 95% occupancy as race fans and football visitors arrive in the city.
| Central Texas County | Current Status |
| Travis County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Caldwell County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Coryell County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Falls County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Hamilton County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Limestone County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Llano County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Milam County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Mills County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Robertson County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Burleson County | Burn Ban in Effect |
| Williamson County | No Burn Ban |
| Bell County | No Burn Ban |
| Hays County | No Burn Ban |
| Bastrop County | No Burn Ban |
| Blanco County | No Burn Ban |
| Burnet County | No Burn Ban |
| Comal County | No Burn Ban |
| Gillespie County | No Burn Ban |
| Fayette County | No Burn Ban |
Important: County Commissioners’ Courts can enact, extend, or lift burn bans on short notice. Before conducting any outdoor burn, check directly with your local county emergency management office or call the local sheriff’s non-emergency dispatch line to register controlled burns.
WEATHER
MONDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Depending on where you are, the map at ExploreFall.com will help you pinpoint exactly when and where the peak colors will appear.
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SPORTS
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs tip off their 2026-2027 NBA regular season tonight at Frost Bank Center, hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in an opening-night Western Conference showdown. Led by third-year phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs look to build on their momentum against the reigning conference rivals and set an aggressive tone for the new campaign.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT.
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets open their seasons tomorrow night against each other in Houston.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team is ranked No. 7 in the first Associated Press Preseason Top 25, marking its highest preseason AP ranking since 2021.
The Houston Cougars rank No. 10 while Texas Tech comes in at No. 19.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian reveals where the Longhorns struggle most. (Longhorns Wire)
SATURDAY
The start time for the Mississippi State game on October 24 has been set for 6:30 p.m. CDT.
The Texas Longhorns’ offensive line struggles threaten to derail their season as key short-yardage failures and missed assignments spark concerns across Longhorn Nation. Are Arch Manning and KJ Lacey the answer, or does the inability to protect the quarterback and generate a consistent run game spell deeper problems for Steve Sarkisian’s squad?
TONIGHT
Enjoy a day at this pristine coastal prairie, cared for by the University of Houston Coastal Center.
