Four elections on Nov. 3 ballot for two open state legislative seats

Audio By Carbonatix

(The Center Square) – Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled special elections to be held for two state legislative seats in north Texas on Nov. 3. This is in addition to the Nov. 3 general election for the same seats.

Texas House District 93 and Senate District 22 in north Texas are both open after state lawmakers resigned to take other positions.

In each race, the same two candidates are running for the special election and the general election. Voters will elect candidates for the same seat twice on Nov. 3.

Abbott called a special election to fill HD 93 after state Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, resigned in July. He was later appointed to be the governor’s advisor on election integrity.

Democrat Ericka Lomick and Republican Alan Blaylock are running for the seat to fill out the reminder of the current term.

Abbott said in a proclamation that he called the special election because Texas election code requires it.Abbott said that Texas Election Code “provides that the special election generally must be held on the first uniform date occurring on or after the 36th day after the date the election is ordered.” 

The call for a special election has raised confusion when candidates in both races are already on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.

Whoever wins the Nov. 3 special election will fill the seat from November through January, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. 

Whoever wins the Nov. 3 general election will fill the seat for the new two-year term and be sworn in to serve in the 90th Texas Legislature, which begins Jan. 12, 2027.

They are both running in the special election and the general election.

Voters are facing the same situation in Senate District 22.

Abbott issued a similar order calling for a special election to fill SD 22, vacated by state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury. Birdwell, a 9/11 survivor, was appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment at the Pentagon, The Center Square reported.

Whoever wins the Nov. 3 special election will fill SD 22 from November through January, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. 

Whoever wins the Nov. 3 general election for SD 22 will fill the seat for the new two-year term and be sworn in to serve in the 90th Texas Legislature, which begins Jan. 12.

Incumbent state Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, and Mexican immigrant Democrat Amy Martinez-Salas are running in both the special and general elections. 

Abbott has yet to call a special election for CD 23, vacated by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican who was forced to resign after multiple sex scandals came to light, including with a former staffer who killed herself, The Center Square reported.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder has raised questions about the timing of the orders and lack of time given for candidates to file to run. 

Texas Election Code §201.051 states that the governor must call a special election to fill a vacancy “as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs. For a vacancy to be filled by a special election to be held on the date of the general election for state and county officers, the election shall be ordered not later than the 78th day before election day.”

Within this timeframe, 78 days before Nov. 3 was Aug. 17. Abbott ordered the special elections for SD 22 on Aug, 18 and for HD 93 on Aug, 20.

Texas Election Code §201.054(f) also stipulates candidate filing deadlines. “For a special election to be held on the date of the general election for state and county officers, the filing deadline is 6 p.m. of the 75th day before election day,” it says.

Seventy-five days before Nov. 3 was Aug. 20.

The governor has not responded to requests to comment about the timing of issuing the orders, appearing to have issued them outside of state guidelines, or about not issuing an order for CD 23.

Early voting begins Oct. 19.