As early voting for the March primaries hits peak involvement this week, voter fatigue begins creeping in, too. Senator, governor, attorney general – the ballot goes on and on and can feel overwhelming.
The fatigue may even have you wondering why Texas and the U.S. have so many different elections. One reader of The Dallas Morning News asked Curious Texas to help them understand the reasoning, significance and timeline of each.
So, why are there so many state and federal elections?
Texas history
Curious Texas
Long story short: during Reconstruction, Texas faced serious distrust in the government. High taxes, resentment toward federal control and other post-Civil War social and economic issues led to the Constitutional Convention of 1875. There, 90 elected delegates wrote the Texas Constitution we follow today, with a heavy focus on limited government control.
Impact on elections
Although the 150-year-old document has been amended more than 500 times, the amount of non-voter-approved changes the state government can make remains limited.
Therefore, anytime an amendment needs ratification or rejection, a state elected office becomes vacant between general elections, or specific financial borrowing needs to take place, an election must occur. These sometimes happen in “off-years,” or odd-numbered years when neither a presidential nor midterm election takes place. Other ballot contenders for off-year elections can include county and municipal races – mayor, city council, justices of the peace, etc.
Term limit vs. term time
A term limit refers to the total number of times someone can hold a specific office, while term time is the duration of each term. These are set in either state constitutions or the U.S. Constitution. For example, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the president to only two, four-year terms – two being the term limit and four years being the term time. President Donald Trump’s first term fell from 2017-21 and his second from 2025-29.
Some states, such as California, Michigan and Florida, regulate term limits for state officials through their state constitutions.
Texas, however, does not impose term limits on elected state officials. This means the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller of public accounts, commissioner of the general land office, commissioner of agriculture, railroad commissioner, attorney general, members of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives can run for office an unlimited number of times. The secretary of state, although appointed by the governor, can be chosen an unlimited number of times as well.
The only limitations fall to term time with representatives at two years and everyone else at four years.
Similarly, the U.S. Constitution does not enforce term limits for members of Congress, only term times, with senators at six years and representatives at two years.
Why are there state elections every two years in Texas?
Currently, 31 Senators and 150 members of the House make up our state Legislature. Since representatives hold two-year terms, they must be refilled accordingly. Texans also see Senate races biannually. Although senators hold four-year terms, Article 3, Section 3, of the Texas Constitution demands staggered elections based on district, forcing half of the state Senate to be elected every two years.
Between our state election needs and those of the country, Texans will always face an important election every two years. This system keeps gubernatorial and presidential elections from falling on the same year.
So, why are there so many state and federal elections?
Federal elections run in a two-year cycle, with the presidential election every four years and mid-term elections in the even-numbered years between. Texas also holds its statewide elections – for governor and other constitutional offices – in mid-term years. But by the time special elections, local elections and runoffs are accounted for, Texans participate in an election just about every year.
Visit The Dallas Morning News’ Voter Guide to learn more about 2026 primary candidates and their positions.
Do you have a question you would like answered? Ask us at Curious Texas.