Texas Election Chief Jane Nelson Resigns Effective July 17, Leaving 4 Months Before General Election
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
Texas Election Chief Jane Nelson Resigns Effective July 17, Leaving 4 Months Before General Election
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
July 17 is when Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson will step down, leaving the state's top election post vacant less than four months before a high-stakes general election.
No reason or successor was announced Tuesday; Gov. Greg Abbott, who appointed Nelson in 2023, said only that a later announcement would be made.
Every statewide office is on the ballot this year, including a closely watched U.S. Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico.
Nelson exits with voting-access lawsuits still pending against her agency, including challenges to Texas' use of the federal SAVE citizenship database that rights groups say could wrongly flag eligible voters.
Her tenure also drew conflict from within the GOP after the Texas Republican Party sued over primary voting rules, a position Paxton publicly backed.