Eight Local Races Head to December Runoffs
No candidate cleared the 50% threshold to win outright in several Texas local races, forcing top-two runoffs.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in City Hall
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Eight local races advanced to runoffs following the November 2026 general election, in which millions of Texans cast ballots. Seven of the runoffs are for city councils, including three Austin City Council seats, and one is for the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees.
Why it matters
Because no candidate reached 50% in these races, the top two finishers advance to a runoff, meaning the final composition of Austin's council and school board will be decided in December. Residents who did not vote in November will have another chance to weigh in on these seats.
Eight races, including three Austin City Council seats and one Austin ISD trustee seat, will be decided in runoffs because no candidate reached the 50% threshold to win outright. The specific candidates advancing in each race were not identified in the source material.
The details
Under Texas election rules, if no candidate wins a majority in a race, the top two candidates advance to a runoff. Early voting for the December runoffs will run from November 30 through December 8, with Runoff Election Day set for December 12.
Timeline
November 2026: General election held, with millions of Texans casting ballots.
November 30 through December 8, 2026: Early voting for runoffs.
December 12, 2026: Runoff Election Day.
Legal Context
Texas requires a majority to win outright in local races, so crowded fields routinely push contests into a second round. The eight runoffs in this cycle, including three Austin City Council seats, follow that statutory structure.
Austin voters who want a say in the outcome must participate in the December runoff, since the November results alone did not determine these seats. Early voting from November 30 to December 8 gives residents the chance to cast ballots before Runoff Election Day on December 12.
The takeaway
Because runoffs decide these seats, voters who skipped the November race still have a decisive role to play before December 12.
What happens next
Early voting for the runoffs runs from November 30 through December 8, 2026, ahead of Runoff Election Day on December 12, 2026.
Further reading
Follow the latest Austin council and school board developments in City Hall.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KXAN.
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