Abbott names Robert Howden Texas secretary of state before midterms

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott picked longtime adviser Robert S. Howden as the state’s 116th secretary of state, putting a veteran Republican operative in charge of election administration less than four months before the Nov. 3 midterms. Howden, Abbott’s senior adviser and director of legislative affairs, is due to take office July 18 after Jane Nelson’s departure from the post.[0]

The job makes Howden Texas’ chief elections officer, responsible for guiding county election officials and helping ensure election laws are applied consistently across the state.thetexasvoice The office also handles business and commercial filings, publishes government rules, commissions notaries, keeps the state seal and serves as Texas’ chief international protocol office.khou

Abbott said Howden had served in four Republican governors’ administrations and pointed to his legislative experience as preparation for the role.texastribune Howden has worked in Abbott’s office since 2024, previously served Gov. Rick Perry as communications director and senior adviser, and worked on Gov. Bill Clements’ staff, Abbott’s office said.fox26houston

The appointment follows Nelson’s resignation after three and a half years as secretary of state. She presided over seven statewide elections and said her office had worked to make voting “secure, accessible and fair,” while also speeding business filings and modernizing the agency.khou

Howden’s confirmation will wait until the Texas Senate returns in January; he can serve in the interim without that vote.[0] A secretary of state needs support from two-thirds of the Senate, where Howden’s long Capitol résumé gives him relationships with many of the lawmakers who would decide his nomination.bgov

The change lands during a politically sensitive stretch for Texas elections. Nelson’s office had faced pressure from federal officials, state leaders, county election administrators and voting-rights groups, including fights over access to voter data and the state’s use of a federal citizenship-verification database.[0] Abbott has also backed closing Republican primaries, an issue tied up in litigation involving the Texas GOP.khou