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Monday, Aug. 4, 2025

Fact brief: Can Gov. Abbott unilaterally remove Texas Democrats from office for fleeing a vote?

Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report
no

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott cannot unilaterally remove legislators from office.

The Texas Constitution allows the Senate and House to expel a member with a two-thirds vote, but it does not grant removal authority to the governor.

In August 2021, the Texas attorney general’s office issued an opinion that state district courts may decide whether a lawmaker has forfeited his office through abandonment and remove him from office. 

The governor may call for a special election if a vacancy in the Legislature occurs.

The last time a legislator was expelled was in 2023. House members expelled Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, following his resignation over alleged sexual misconduct.

Before that, the most recent expulsion was in 1927.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.

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