Texas Voters Split on Election Integrity vs. Ballot Access, New TSU Survey Finds

How do Texans really feel about election integrity and ballot access? A new report from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University offers a detailed look at where the state's registered voters stand — and the picture is more nuanced than the political debate might suggest.

The survey of 1,706 Texas registered voters, conducted between April 22 and May 6, 2026, found the electorate split exactly down the middle: half believe stopping voter fraud and illegal immigrants from voting should be the top priority, while the other half say ensuring eligible citizens aren't turned away matters most. But beneath that 50-50 headline lie striking differences by party, race, age, education, and geography. Republicans favor election integrity over ballot access by a four-to-one margin, while Democrats flip that ratio in the opposite direction. Black voters prioritize ballot access at more than twice the rate they prioritize election integrity, while rural voters lean heavily toward fraud prevention.

Written by Michael O. Adams and Mark P. Jones, this report draws on one of the most comprehensive recent surveys of Texas voter attitudes on this issue. Whether you follow Texas politics, work in election administration, or simply want to understand how your fellow Texans are thinking about democracy, this report is essential reading. Read the full report here .