News · TX
Texas emergency order eases diesel and trucking rules
Economy and jobsThe governor acted after diesel reached a gallon, suspending emissions rules and changing truck weight and fuel-use limits.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 30, 2026
Politics and government news
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37 stories · page 1 of 2
Candidate profile · TX
Candidate profile: Michael Swanson
Elections and votingMichael Swanson is a Democrat in Texas’ contested U.S. Senate general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 29, 2026
News · TX
Fetterman rejects claim he is a bad senator, Democrat
Foreign policyJohn Fetterman rejected criticism of his work as a senator and his standing as a Democrat in a dispute involving foreign policy.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 29, 2026
News · TX
Fetterman misspeaks about party at Texas Tribune Festival
Elections and votingThe Pennsylvania senator drew laughter after calling himself a Republican, then reaffirmed that he remains a Democrat.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 28, 2026
News · TX
Harris County says 75,000 registrations went unprocessed
Elections and votingCounty officials attributed roughly 75,000 unprocessed voter registrations to an error involving Texas DPS.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 28, 2026
News · TX
Texas GOP’s Latino voter strategy faces a 2026 test
ImmigrationA congressional map built around Trump’s 2024 gains may face pressure from immigration crackdowns and rising costs in South Texas.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 27, 2026
News · TX
Texas court leaves Crystal Mason conviction reversal intact
Elections and votingTexas’ highest criminal court upheld the reversal of Crystal Mason’s Tarrant County voter fraud conviction, ending her case after nearly 10 years.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 27, 2026
News · TX
2026 Texas elections: Key races and candidates
Elections and votingTexas voters will decide a U.S. Senate seat, all 38 U.S. House seats and three statewide offices on Nov. 3.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 27, 2026
News · TX
Abbott proposes screen time limits in Texas schools
EducationGov. Greg Abbott has proposed limiting screen time in Texas schools, placing classroom technology use on the state education agenda.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 25, 2026
News · TX
Abbott pauses Texas data center permits for grid audit
Elections and votingTexas will stop issuing state permits for data centers until an audit of the power grid is complete.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 24, 2026
Candidate profile · TX
Candidate profile: Andrew Kyle Trakas
Elections and votingAndrew Kyle Trakas is a Republican candidate in Texas’ contested 2026 U.S. Senate race.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 23, 2026
News · TX
Abbott orders pause on Texas data center permits
Elections and votingThe governor’s directive temporarily stops covered data center permit decisions while the state determines the next steps.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 23, 2026
News · TX
Texas orders audit of data center grid requests
Elections and votingThe state will review data center connection requests as ERCOT faces a backlog representing 474 gigawatts of requested demand.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 23, 2026
News · TX
Texas Pauses New Data Center Permits for Audit
Elections and votingTexas has halted new data center permits while an audit reviews the permitting process.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 23, 2026
News · TX
Texas and California introduce data center rules
Elections and votingThe two states have introduced new rules for data centers, with their practical effects depending on each state’s final legal text and timeline.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 22, 2026
News · TX
Cornyn says he will not vote for Bo French
Elections and votingJohn Cornyn has ruled out voting for Bo French as criticism grows over a racist post.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 20, 2026
News · TX
Houston-area postpartum center agrees to cease operations
Elections and votingKen Paxton said De'Ai Postpartum Care Center agreed to end operations permanently after Texas sued the Houston-area business.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 20, 2026
News · TX
Texas Advances Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree Initiative
EducationTexas is moving forward with an initiative intended to shorten bachelor’s degree programs and reduce college costs.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 18, 2026
News · TX
Cornyn says he will not vote for Bo French
Elections and votingCornyn has ruled out voting for Bo French in a Texas race but has not identified an alternative choice.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 18, 2026
News · TX
Family says Texas abortion ban caused pregnant woman’s death
Health careThe family sued Attorney General Ken Paxton and the doctors who treated the woman after she died from a pregnancy-related condition.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 17, 2026
News · TX
Tierra Walker’s family sues Paxton over abortion ban
Health careThe family says Texas law blocked lifesaving medical care for Walker before she died of preeclampsia while 20 weeks pregnant.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 17, 2026
News · TX
Abbott orders water penalties for Texas data centers
Elections and votingGreg Abbott has ordered new water-related penalties targeting data centers in Texas.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 16, 2026
News · TX
Texas charges align with Trump focus on noncitizen voting
Elections and votingFederal charges in Texas put election enforcement at the center of Trump’s broader attention to voting by noncitizens.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 16, 2026
News · TX
Texas federal charges spotlight noncitizen voting
Elections and votingFederal charges announced in Texas align with Trump’s broader focus on noncitizen voting, without a direct link to a specific election or race.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 16, 2026
News · TX
Texas federal charges tie into noncitizen voting focus
Elections and votingFederal charges announced in Texas come amid Trump’s broader attention to noncitizen voting, but they are not tied to a specific election or race.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 16, 2026
News · TX
SpaceX sues Texas AG, Grimes County over records requests
Elections and votingSpaceX has taken the Texas attorney general and Grimes County to court in a dispute involving public records requests.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 14, 2026
News · TX
Surrogate asks Supreme Court to pause California ruling
Health careMcKenna West is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve her ability to seek continued heart treatment for the baby she carried.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 13, 2026
News · TX
Texas court blocks Galveston County maps for November
Elections and votingThe Texas Supreme Court ruled that Galveston County’s new district maps cannot be used for the November election.
The Ballot Texas DeskSep 13, 2026
Candidate profile · TX
Candidate profile: Jade Simmons for U.S. Senate
Elections and votingIndependent Jade Simmons is among 36 candidates listed in Texas’ contested 2026 U.S. Senate race.
The Ballot Texas Policy DeskSep 9, 2026
Candidate profile · TX
Ahmad Hassan, Democrat for U.S. Senate in Texas
Elections and votingAhmad Hassan is among the candidates in Texas’ contested U.S. Senate general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
The Ballot Texas News DeskSep 9, 2026