The bill extends the deadline for a candidate to withdraw from a primary runoff from the third day to the fifth day after the last day for the state canvass. If a runoff candidate withdraws by that deadline, the third-place finisher from the primary takes the open runoff spot; if one withdraws after it, the other candidate becomes the nominee and no runoff is held for that office. This touches primary candidates, party officials and voters in runoff races, with changes applying to elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 747 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 747 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 10, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Elections committee.
relating to the withdrawal of a candidate in a runoff primary
election.
WHAT IT DOES
Counted from the last day for the state canvass.
The bill extends the deadline for a candidate to withdraw from a primary runoff from the third day to the fifth day after the last day for the state canvass. If a runoff candidate withdraws by that deadline, the third-place finisher from the primary takes the open runoff spot; if one withdraws after it, the other candidate becomes the nominee and no runoff is held for that office. This touches primary candidates, party officials and voters in runoff races, with changes applying to elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1033 (Hughes) Relating to the withdrawal of a candidate in a runoff primary election. (viva voce vote) (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 24 (published)
Nay: 6 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1033 (Hughes) Relating to the withdrawal of a candidate in a runoff primary election. (viva voce vote) (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 24 (published)
Nay: 6 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.
Sources
SB 1033 (Hughes) Relating to the withdrawal of a candidate in a runoff primary election. (viva voce vote) (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez (24-6) "Nays" Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Witnesses8
For
6
Against
2
On
0
Names
For
Self4 registrations
Self; Harris county ballot security1 registration
Self; True texas projeect1 registration
Against
Self1 registration
Self; Texas Democratic Party1 registration
Sources
8 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
89R4664 MLH-D
By: Hughes
S.B. No. 1033
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the withdrawal of a candidate in a runoff primary
election.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2.023(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c) or Section
172.059 , the candidates in a runoff election are the candidates who
receive the highest and second highest number of votes in the main
election or who tie for the highest number of votes.
SECTION 2. Section 172.059, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read
as follows:
(a) A candidate for nomination may not withdraw from the
runoff primary election after 5 p.m. of the fifth [ 3rd ] day after
the last day on which the state canvass may be conducted for the
election under Section 172.120(b) [ 172.120 ].
(c) If a runoff candidate withdraws from the election on or
before 5 p.m. of the fifth day after the last day on which the state
canvass may be conducted for the election, the candidate who
received the third highest number of votes in the general primary
election is entitled to a place on the runoff ballot.
(d) If a runoff candidate withdraws after 5 p.m. of the
fifth day after the last day on which the state canvass may be
conducted for the election , the remaining candidate is the nominee
and the runoff election for that office is not held.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an
election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An
election ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed
by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the former
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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