Texas voters head to the polls for mayoral runoff elections
Texas voters head to the polls for mayoral runoff elections
Updated at: June 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM
On June 13, 2026, voters across several Texas cities headed back to the polls for mayoral runoff elections.
These runoffs were necessary because, in the May 2 general election, no candidate achieved the majority vote required by Texas law for municipal offices with terms longer than two years.
Under this "50% plus one" rule, if no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two finishers must face off in a second election.
While runoff elections typically see lower voter turnout, they are incredibly impactful.
The recent cycle included notable races in cities like New Braunfels, where a legal conflict regarding the city's charter necessitated a runoff between candidates Michael French and Neal Linnartz.
Although these elections are technically nonpartisan and lack party labels on the ballot, they remain dynamic, often reflecting local political alignments.
For residents, these runoff days serve as a final, decisive step in the democratic process to finalize the leadership of their communities.
