The El Paso County Republican Party turned a routine bit of election housekeeping into a public show on Thursday, holding an open ballot draw that set the order of GOP names for the upcoming primaries. Volunteers from the audience pulled names in two separate random drawings, one after another, to lock in where candidates will appear on primary ballots. Party leaders said the whole thing was staged in public to prove the process is random and to shut down any grumbling about favoritism before it starts.
County GOP Invites Crowd To Pick The Names
There were two main rounds of drawing, one covering federal and county races and another for statewide contests. In each round, party members and other attendees watched as public volunteers stepped up and drew names from a drum. Michael Aboud, the El Paso County GOP chair, told reporters that keeping the ballot draw open to the public is meant to demonstrate "randomness and fairness" and to avoid even the hint that party officials are tilting the field for anyone, as reported by the El Paso Times.
Where The Candidates Land On The Ballot
For the Republican primary in U.S. House District 16, the drawn order puts Manuel Barazza first on the ballot, followed by Deliris Montañez, Marisela Chavez, Hector Cabildo, Ruben Rios, Adam Bauman, and Raul Castañeda. The draw also set the GOP lineup for U.S. House District 23 as Keith Barton, Francisco "Quico" Canseco, Tony Gonzales, and Brandon Herrera. An ordered list of Republican U.S. Senate hopefuls, which includes Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, was also produced. Those candidate filings and the finalized ballot order appear in public election records and campaign filings that are compiled online, per Wikipedia.
Campaigns Welcome The Transparent Toss-Up
Sulema Reyna, campaign manager for Raul "Bullet" Castañeda, said bringing regular voters into the drawing helps boost transparency and offers reassurance to both supporters and opponents that the process is fair. Candidates who took part also backed the anonymous draw format, with several saying it keeps accusations of favoritism at bay and lets them stay focused on knocking doors instead of knocking the process. Party officials added that this step comes at a time when Republican organizing in El Paso County has been on an upswing. As reported by the El Paso Times.
Primary Dates And What Comes Next
The statewide primary is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, with primary runoffs set for May 26, and counties are now moving ahead with sample ballots and official notices that track with the state election calendar. With the ballot positions locked in, campaigns can start finalizing their mail pieces, yard signs, and field plans so that all their materials match exactly where their candidates will appear for voters. The official election and runoff dates are laid out in the Texas Secretary of State's 2026 election calendar, per the Texas Secretary of State.
Why The Top Line Still Counts
In low-turnout primaries, the slot a candidate draws can still matter, especially when a race is crowded and name recognition is thin. Some voters scan the first few names and make a quick call, which can make a top position worth fighting over, even if the draw itself is pure luck. For El Paso Republicans, Thursday's event might have looked like a small procedural chore, yet it quietly set the first impression many voters will get once sample ballots go out. Expect campaigns to fold their new placement into mailers, stump speeches, and early outreach as primary season shifts from warmup mode to a full sprint.
