Texas voters decide Senate District 4 seat in Saturday special election
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- A special election is being held on May 2, 2026, to fill the vacant Texas Senate District 4 seat.
- The seat was previously held by Republican Brandon Creighton, who is now the chancellor of the Texas Tech University System.
- Republican Brett Ligon and Democrat Ron Angeletti are the two candidates on the ballot for the position.
- The winner will represent parts of five counties, including Montgomery, Harris, Chambers, Jefferson, and Galveston.
Voters in Texas Senate District 4 will head to the polls Saturday, May 2, to choose between Republican Brett Ligon and Democrat Ron Angeletti in a special election to fill the seat vacated by former state Sen. Brandon Creighton.
The district, which includes more than 950,000 residents, lies north of Houston and Galveston and spans portions of Montgomery, Harris, Chambers, Jefferson and Galveston counties.
The seat had been held by former Republican State Sen. Brandon Creighton for over 10 years before he vacated it to become the new chancellor of the Texas Tech University System in October 2025, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that a special election would be held on May 2 for the seat.
Creighton, a Republican, held the seat for more than a decade before stepping down in October 2025 to become chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. Gov. Greg Abbott later announced a May 2 special election to fill the vacancy.
Here’s what to know about Texas’s special election this week.
Who is on Texas special election ballot?
There are only two names on the ballot — Republican candidate Brett Ligon and Democratic candidate Ron Angeletti.
Creighton has endorsed Ligon to fill his seat.
Who controls the Texas Senate?
Texas is composed of 31 senators, each representing a district across the state, and is led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
There are currently 18 Republicans and 12 Democrats.
When is the Texas special election?
According to the Texas Secretary of State, early voting started Monday, April 20, and ended on Tuesday, April 28.
Election Day is Saturday May, 2.
Who can vote in the special election?
Only those in the district are eligible to vote in the election if they meet the following Texas voting requirements:
- They are a United States citizen.
- A resident of the county where they submit the application.
- They are at least 17 years and 10 months old on the date their voter registration application is submitted, and at least 18 years old on Election Day.
- They are not a convicted felon.
- They have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
Who is Brandon Creighton?
Creighton began his legislative career in 2007, serving as a member of Texas State District 16 in the Texas House of Representatives.
In 2014, Creighton was sworn into the Texas Senate, representing District 4.
During the 89th Texas Legislative Session in 2025, Creighton helped deliver a key win for Gov. Greg Abbott by passing the school voucher program.
He also authored Senate Bill 37, which requires state university systems to review their schools’ curriculum periodically and shutter any courses and programs that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and gender identity topics.
It also limits the role of faculty senates on campus — something the Texas Tech University System regents have done in recent meetings.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
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