As the midterm elections approach, Texas will soon get a new leader in charge of voting. Concerns have emerged about the leading candidate, Nate Schatzline, a 34-year-old conservative state lawmaker and pastor with no experience in election administration.
In Texas, the governor appoints the secretary of state. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has not yet made a formal announcement regarding this. Jane Nelson, the current secretary, announced her resignation and will remain in office until July 17. Although, speculation suggests that Nelson’s successor is likely to be Nate Schatzline, affiliated with a Fort Worth megachurch and known for echoing baseless claims about electoral fraud in the U.S.
“I personally have not heard of another name floated,” said Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, who is gearing up for potential changes.
McGinn prepared a report for his members outlining how Schatzline might influence elections. Previous secretaries, like Nelson, focused on stabilizing relationships with county officials and provided bipartisan support. Schatzline might introduce a different approach.
The report suggests Schatzline could become a highly ideological leader, possibly responding to grassroots activist demands and using the office as an active enforcement agency. Schatzline has not responded to requests for comments, and Governor Abbott’s spokesperson has yet to disclose further details.
Lack of Election Administration Experience
Like his predecessor, Nelson, Schatzline has served as a state lawmaker but lacks expertise in managing elections. Should he take the position, he needs to quickly understand the complexities of organizing voting in a state with significant registered voters and closely contested races.
“He has never run an election, managed a polling place, or operated a county voter registration database,” McGinn’s report noted, indicating potential challenges.
Schatzline’s legislative interest in voting issues has emerged recently. He authored or co-authored five election-related bills in the 2025-2026 session, aligning himself with President Trump’s false narratives about elections.
Schatzline is known for opposing the impeachment of Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, embroiled in a 2023 scandal. Paxton publicly endorsed Schatzline in 2025.
Unusual Timing
The timing of Nelson’s resignation coincides with the legislature being out of regular session, allowing Abbott’s appointee to hold the position temporarily until a permanent replacement vote by the legislature next year. Anthony Gutierrez of Common Cause Texas stated this allows the new appointee to function with less accountability during an important election period.
“We don’t get to see if this person is qualified to do the job,” Gutierrez said, highlighting past similar appointments by Abbott.
Gutierrez expresses concern over any appointment from Abbott’s office steering the role in a partisan direction, leading to significant consequences in a high-stakes election.
NPR correspondent Ashley Lopez contributed to this report.