Voter Data Rosters Now Reveal Names and Precincts

Texas law requires county clerks to post early voting rosters by 11 a.m. the morning after each early voting day. These public documents now list the voter ID number, the method of voting, and the registered precinct for every person who cast a ballot.

The data is available through the Texas Secretary of State website and various county clerk offices. Users can select a specific date for the 2026 November General Election to download a roster in Excel or CSV format. This file contains the names and identifiers of residents who participated in early voting.

Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, explained that the data is not secret. He noted that while the specific choice on a ballot remains private, the act of voting is public record. The association has provided steps for the public to locate these files online.

Political campaigns use this information to determine which households to contact. Brian Smith of St. Edwards University said modern software allows analysts to match voter records with precinct data quickly. He described the process as replacing manual sorting with automated data center matching to predict voting behavior.

Smith stated that if a voter's history aligns with a campaign's target profile, the campaign will likely send a text message. He noted that the ease of accessing this data has changed significantly compared to previous election cycles. The data helps campaigns identify voters who have not yet participated.

McGinn said the prediction market industry uses these rosters to gauge turnout. He expressed concern that the data could influence voter behavior, similar to how commercial advertising works. He noted that homeowners can opt out of property tax records but have no such option for voter data.

State lawmakers will return to Austin in January 2027. The discussion about closing political primary elections may include debates over voter information access. McGinn said the push for close primaries from the Republican side will likely intersect with conversations about data prediction and party allegiance.