Full Breakdown
Texas May 2, 2026 Election Day: Municipal Contests, Bond Measures, and a State Senate Special Election
5/4/2026, 1:23:28 PM
Election Day Overview
On May 2, 2026, Texas voters cast ballots in a statewide slate of local contests. North Texas held mayoral and city-council elections in at least 15 cities, while Tarrant County voters chose school-board members. The same day a special election filled the vacant State Senate District 4 seat covering five counties.
Local Races & Funding
Mayoral contests featured incumbents such as Arlington’s Jim Ross against challengers Hunter Crow, Shaun Mallory and Steve Cavender. Voters approved a $6.2 billion Dallas ISD bond for 26 new schools and technology upgrades and an $845 million Fort Worth bond for streets, libraries and public safety. In Tarrant County school-board races, former Crowley ISD president Daryl Davis II won with 44.42 % of the vote, Castleberry ISD incumbent Tracy Gallman earned 67.1 % and White Settlement ISD’s Krystal Arnold kept Place 6 with 66.7 %.
State Senate District 4 Special Election
The race pitted Republican Brett Ligon, former Montgomery County district attorney, against Democrat Ron Angeletti, an educator and small-business owner. Unofficial tallies gave Ligon roughly 75 % (?26,000 votes) and Angeletti 25 % (?9,000 votes) of the 34,730 ballots cast. County returns showed Ligon winning 90.61 % in Chambers County and Angeletti capturing 67.16 % of Jefferson County’s votes.
Official Statements & Responses
Republican officials framed the result as a reaffirmation of conservative values. Ligon’s post-election statement highlighted a “clear message” from voters; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the win shows a united Texas Republican base “cannot be defeated.” Former Senate holder Brandon Creighton endorsed Ligon.
Criticism & Opposition
Analysts noted only 34,730 voters—about 5 % of the district’s registered electorate—participated in the District 4 race. Lone Star Left criticized the “nonpartisan” label of municipal elections, saying low turnout and opaque campaign-finance practices favor entrenched interests.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
USA Today listed Ligon’s total as 26,068, then later as 23,927. Both agree on a 75 % share but differ on the absolute count. County-level reporting for Montgomery, Harris and Galveston remains incomplete as of 10 p.m.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The voters of SD4 have delivered a clear message tonight. Conservative values and Republican dominance in Texas are alive and well,” — Brett Ligon, former Montgomery County DA
- “Ligon's decisive victory is an important and timely reminder that when Texas Republicans are energized and united, we cannot be defeated,” — Dan Patrick, Lt. Gov.
- “The seat became vacant in October 2025 when the former holder, former Republican State Sen.” — USA Today
- “Brandon Creighton for over 10 years before he vacated it to become the new chancellor of the Texas Tech University System in October 2025.” — USA Today
What’s Next
Ligon and Angeletti will face each other again in November for a full four-year Senate term. Mayoral races without a majority will go to runoff on June 13. Lawmakers are debating moving municipal elections from May to November to increase turnout.
