The Texas May Uniform Election Date, explained

If you've ever wondered why every city council and school board race in your town seems to happen on the same spring Saturday, the answer is the Texas Uniform Election Date. Texas funnels nearly all of its local, nonpartisan elections onto two set days a year — and the big one for local candidates is in May. In 2027, that date is Saturday, May 2. Understanding the rhythm of the uniform date is the difference between a candidate who plans a campaign and one who's surprised by a deadline. This guide explains what the May date is, what runs on it, and how it's different from the partisan primary you hear about on the news.

What is the Texas May Uniform Election Date?

A uniform election date is a day fixed in state law on which Texas political subdivisions — cities, school districts, and other local entities — are required to hold their regular elections. Texas designates two each year: one in May (the first Saturday) and one in November (Election Day). The May date exists so that local races don't sprawl across the calendar; instead they share a single Saturday, which makes elections cheaper to administer, easier for voters to track, and — for you — a fixed point to plan your whole campaign around. For 2027, the May date is Saturday, May 2, with a county-and-city run-off following on Saturday, June 13 where needed.

Which races are on the May ballot?

The May Uniform Election Date is where local government is decided. In a typical Collin County May election you'll find:

• City council seats — in Frisco, Plano, McKinney, and the county's other ~26–30 incorporated cities;
• Mayoral races, where a candidate generally needs a majority to win outright (or it goes to a June run-off);
• School board (ISD) trustee seats — Frisco ISD, Prosper ISD, and the county's ~23 districts — usually elected at-large by plurality with no run-off;
• Local propositions, bonds, and charter amendments that cities and districts put before voters.

How is the May date different from the March primary?

This is the single most common point of confusion, so it's worth being precise. The March primary and the May uniform date are different elections, with different purposes, run by different authorities:

The practical takeaway: if you're running for city council or school board, you are a May candidate, not a primary candidate. You don't file with a political party. You file with your city secretary or school district, you appear on a ballot with no party label, and your voters are deciding local government — not picking a nominee.

Why does the May date matter for your campaign?

Because the date is fixed, your entire timeline is fixed with it. Working backward from Saturday, May 1, 2027, you get a predictable rhythm:

1. 1.Treasurer first — appoint a campaign treasurer before you raise or spend anything.
2. 2.File by mid-February — the candidate filing deadline lands around the 78th day before the election.
3. 3.Report your finances — the 30-day and 8-day pre-election C/OH reports come due in April.
4. 4.Early voting in late April — where most local votes are actually cast.
5. 5.Election Day, May 2 — polls 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a possible June 13 run-off for city and mayoral races.

The bottom line

The Texas May Uniform Election Date is the heartbeat of local democracy: one shared Saturday — May 2 in 2027 — when cities and school districts decide who governs. It's nonpartisan, it's separate from the March primary, and it gives you a fixed calendar to plan against. Get the full sequence in our Collin County 2027 election calendar, or see how Mandate turns that calendar into a week-by-week plan.