Voter Guide 2026 | What to know before the March primaries in Bexar County

SAN ANTONIO — It’s election season once more, which in historically blue Bexar County means a handful of key Democratic races in which the winner can expect to have a head start against their Republican opponents on the path to the November general election. 

Among the local primary races of note is the Bexar County judge contest, with incumbent Peter Sakai facing a surprise challenger in former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg on the Democratic ballot. Meanwhile, eight Democratic candidates are squaring off for the chance to campaign for Bexar County district attorney this fall after Joe Gonzalez announced he wouldn’t be seeking reelection.

There are some statewide races with major implications as well. Texas AG Ken Paxton has decided to try and prevent John Cornyn from serving a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, while U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico are sparring for the Democratic nomination. 

A Democrat hasn’t represented Texas in the U.S. Senate since Bob Krueger, who left office in June 1993. 

Read on for everything you need to know before the March 3 election, early voting for which begins Feb. 17. 

In Texas, the deadline to register to vote is 30 days prior to the election in which you wish to cast a ballot. For the March 3 primaries, that deadline was Feb. 2.  

If you don’t know whether you’re registered to vote, you can check here. Otherwise, it’s too late to register to vote in Texas. 

If you plan to submit your ballot by mail, the deadline for you to register to be able to do so is Feb. 20; your application for a mail-in ballot must be received by the office no later than that date. 

In order to be eligible to vote, you must:

🗳Live in Bexar County

🗳Be a U.S. citizen

🗳Be at least 18 years old on Election Day

🗳Not be a convicted felon (with exceptions for felons who have completed their punishment)

🗳Not have been declared by a court to be mentally incapacitated 

Here are the dates you’ll need to know in order to navigate the election process in Bexar County

🗳Monday, Feb. 2: Last day to register to vote

🗳Tuesday, Feb. 17: Early voting begins in Texas

🗳Friday, Feb. 20: Last day to apply to vote by mail 

🗳Friday, Feb. 27: Last day of early voting

🗳Tuesday, March 3: Election Day in Texas, last day to receive ballot by mail

🗳Tuesday, May 26: Runoff elections (if necessary)

You sure can.

Early voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 17 (the day after Presidents Day), and runs through Feb. 27 in Texas for the primary elections. See a full list of Bexar County early voting locations here. 

Early voting hours for each day are as follows in Bexar County:

🗳Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 20: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

🗳Saturday, Feb. 21: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

🗳Sunday, Feb. 22: noon to 6 p.m.

🗳Monday, Feb. 23 through Friday, Feb. 27: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

While early voting polls are open depending on the day you go, in-person voting on March 3 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those in line when the polls close will be able to cast their ballot. 

Click here to find your polling center. Remember: While you have an assigned polling center based on your address, you can head to any of the county’s hundreds of voting sites to cast your ballot on Election Day. 

Make sure to have at least one of the following types of ID when you head to the polls. 

• Texas driver’s license
• Texas election ID certificate
• Personal Texas ID card
• Texas handgun license
• U.S. citizenship certificate with photo
• U.S. military ID
• U.S. passport (book or card)

Texans are allowed to vote by mail but must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• If you’re 65 years of age or older on election day. 
• If you’re sick or disabled (here that means having a sickness or physical condition preventing you from appearing at the polls on election day without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring your health). 
• If you’re going to be out of the county on election day or during the early-voting period. 
• If you’re expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
• If you’re confined in jail, but are eligible to vote. 

Those eligible must fill out this absentee-ballot application and submit it to the Bexar County Elections Office to be able to submit a mail-in ballot for the election. It must be completed and received at the elections office by Feb. 20. 

You don’t want to get to a polling location and not be ready. There are certain types of ID you need to show before you cast your ballot.

Here’s a list that shows you all of the acceptable ID forms.

As these are primary elections, you’ll only be able to vote for the races for the political party in which you’re registered. 

That means you’ll see a different collection of candidates for major races like U.S. senator, U.S. representative, attorney general and district attorney. Depending on where you live, you’ll also weigh in on races for state representative and state senator, along with Bexar County judges and county commissioners.

Democratic and Republican voters will also see a different collection of proposition questions they’ll be asked to vote “Yes” or “No” on; these are surveys, meaning the results won’t trigger immediate action. It’s a way for both parties to collect the opinions of their constituents in Texas. 

Below is a sampling of the major races that Democrats and Republicans in San Antonio will be weighing in on. See the full generic Republican ballot here and the full generic Democratic ballot here. 

🗳 Ken Paxton
🗳 Anna Bender
🗳 John Cornyn
🗳 Wesley Hunt
🗳 Virgil John Bierschwale
🗳 John O. Adefope
🗳 Sara Canady
🗳 Gulrez “Gus” Khan

🗳 Ahmad R. Hassan
🗳 James Talarico
🗳 Jasmine Crockett

🗳 R.F. “Bob” Achgill
🗳 Pete “Doc” Chambers
🗳 Evelyn Brooks
🗳 Nathaniel Welch
🗳 Mark V. Goloby
🗳 Kenneth Hyde
🗳 Stephen Samuelson
🗳 Ronnie Tullos
🗳 Charles Andrew Crouch
🗳 Greg Abbott
🗳 Arturo Espinosa

🗳 Angela “TiaAngie” Villescaz
🗳 Jose Navarro Balbuena
🗳 Chris Bell
🗳 Bobby Cole
🗳 Andrew White
🗳 Patricia Abrego
🗳 Zach Vance
🗳 Gina Hinojosa
🗳 Carlton W. Hart

🗳 Aaron Reitz
🗳 Mayes Middleton
🗳 Joan Huffman
🗳 Chip Roy

🗳 Nathan Johnson
🗳 Anthony “Tony” Box
🗳 Joe Jaworski

🗳 Patrick Von Dohlen

🗳 Peter Sakai
🗳 Ron Nirenberg

🗳 Ashley Foster

🗳 Jane Davis
🗳 Meli Carrion Powers
🗳 Shannon Locke
🗳 Veronica I. Legarreta
🗳 Luz Elena Chapa
🗳 Meredith M. Chacon
🗳 James “Jim” Bethke
🗳 Oscar Salines

Below is the full debate between the Democratic nominees for Bexar County district attorney, hosted by the Greater San Antonio Chamber and the San Antonio Report on Feb. 3.

Below is the full debate between the Democratic nominees for Bexar County judge, hosted by the Greater San Antonio Chamber, San Antonio Report and Tech Bloc on Feb. 10.

KENS5.com will have live updates of all results in the Bexar County election. All results will be posted at KENS5.com/elections starting the evening of May 3.