Early voting in Bexar County is surging, with nearly 301,000 in‑person and mail ballots counted as of Sunday evening, according to Elections Administrator Michele Carew. The early‑vote total puts the 2026 midterm election on a trajectory to surpass the roughly 763,000 votes cast in the 2024 presidential election, when about 59% of the county’s 1.3 million registered voters turned out, as reported by the San Antonio Report.
County officials say the rise reflects expanded voter outreach, new technology, and improved accessibility. KTSA noted that the county now has 1,341,153 registered voters, an increase of 45,233 since the 2024 presidential cycle. For the first time, deaf and deaf‑blind voters can cast ballots at any polling location without an appointment, and a new election‑night tabulation system, updated website, and real‑time wait‑time map have been introduced to help residents plan their visits.
Republican strategist Kelton Morgan warned that the unusually high early‑vote numbers signal a massive influx of money into the race. He told the San Antonio Report, “You’ve had damn near a billion dollars spent just on the U.S. Senate race,” and cautioned that both parties are pouring resources into San Antonio to win over Latino voters who swung toward President Donald Trump in 2024.
While Texas does not record party affiliation at registration, the San Antonio Report noted that voters with a history of participating in Republican primaries have cast fewer early votes than those with a Democratic primary history, though the gap could narrow as Election Day approaches.
Early voting will continue through Friday, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. Residents can monitor ongoing totals through the Bexar County early‑vote count portal and find polling locations and hours on the Elections Department website.
What’s next: The county will release final early‑vote totals on Friday, and officials will continue to update the real‑time voting map. Both parties are expected to intensify outreach efforts in the final days before the November 3 election, with particular focus on the Latino electorate that proved pivotal in the 2024 presidential race.
Sources: sanantonioreport.org, ktsa.com
