Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson Resigns

"My goal was to ensure voting in Texas is secure, accessible, and fair." — Jane Nelson

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced Tuesday she will resign effective July 17. Her office did not provide a reason for her departure.

By law, Governor Greg Abbott must nominate a replacement without delay.

A Career of Service

Nelson, a Republican, served 30 years in the state Senate before becoming Secretary of State in 2023. She was the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history and the first woman to lead the Senate Finance Committee.

She was the first Secretary of State to be confirmed by the Senate since 2017; her three immediate predecessors resigned without confirmation.

Governor Abbott praised Nelson as "a champion for Texas" and expressed gratitude for her service.

Tenure Highlights

During her three and a half years as the state's top election official:

• Her office oversaw seven statewide elections with 27 million ballots cast.

• Her office complied with a U.S. Department of Justice request for the full voter roll, including personal information — a move criticized by election security experts and voting rights groups.

• Her office began using the SAVE federal database to verify citizenship status, identifying potential noncitizens. Some flagged voters were later confirmed as citizens; others had registered through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), which requires proof of citizenship.

• Two lawsuits by voting rights groups claim the SAVE database is inaccurate and could disenfranchise eligible voters. The lawsuits are pending in federal court.

• County election officials have raised concerns about the state's new election management system (TEAM), citing functionality problems.

Disclosure

The Texas Secretary of State has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune.