Collin County early voting continues in Texas attorney general runoff

A few thousand ballots in Collin County could help decide who becomes Texas’ next attorney general, one of the state’s most powerful legal offices, as early voting continues through Friday. The runoff pits state Sen. Mayes Middleton against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, and the winner will carry the Republican nomination into the May 26 election.

Middleton led the March 3 primary with about 39.2% of the vote, while Roy followed with about 31.7%. Because no Republican cleared 50%, the race was sent to a runoff. The contest has become a test of ideological direction in Texas politics, including loyalty to President Donald Trump, legal experience and the attorney general’s role in high-profile state fights. Incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton is not seeking reelection to the office; he is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate instead.

In Collin County, early voting runs Monday, May 18, through Friday, May 22, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The county uses voting centers, so eligible voters can cast a ballot at any early voting location in the county, whether they live in McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Allen, Celina or Wylie. On Election Day, Tuesday, May 26, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Collin County officials say early voting results will begin appearing at 7 p.m. on election night, and the totals remain unofficial until canvassed.

The race lands in a county that has become more politically competitive than in past cycles. In the March primary, about 26% of Collin County’s 760,111 registered voters turned out, with the county’s primary electorate split almost evenly, about 51% Republican and 49% Democratic. That was a sharp jump from 2024, when turnout was about 19% of registered voters.

The attorney general race also has local resonance because state law enforcement and county politics often overlap in Collin County. Paxton has already pushed county officials to reject plat applications tied to the EPIC City development dispute, a reminder that the office can shape fights that reach deep into local land use, legal challenges and public policy. With Middleton and Roy now on the ballot, Collin County Republicans are helping decide who will carry that power next.