Jane Nelson
2023 - Present
2027
1
Jane Nelson (Republican Party) is the Texas Secretary of State. She assumed office on January 7, 2023. Her current term ends on January 19, 2027.
Nelson (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 12. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) appointed Nelson as Texas secretary of state on January 5, 2023, to replace John Scott (R).[1]
Biography
Jane Nelson graduated with a B.S. in education from The University of North Texas in 1972 and also did post-graduate work at Southern Methodist University from 1973 to 1975.
Nelson was a community education instructor from 1980 to 1989 and a teacher from 1973 to 1978. Prior to her position in the state Senate, she was also on the State Board of Education from 1988 to 1992.[2]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Nelson was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Nelson was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Finance, Chair |
| • State Affairs |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Nelson served on the following committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Finance, Chair |
| • State Affairs |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Nelson served on the following committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Finance |
| • Health & Human Services, Chair |
| • Nominations |
2010-2011
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Nelson served on the following Texas Senate committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Health & Human Services, Chair |
| • Finance |
| • Government Organization |
| • Nominations |
| • Joint Committee on Oversight of HHS Eligibility System |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Nelson served on the following Texas Senate committees:
| Texas committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Health & Human Services |
| • Finance |
| • Government Organization |
| • Nominations |
Issues
Hospital oversight
Alarmed by reports that hospitals were violating health regulations, Nelson introduced legislation during a 2013 special session that would empower state regulators to shut down hospitals that are a danger to the public through an emergency suspension of their license. The bill would also require state regulators to inspect hospitals every three years, require those with at least 5 percent ownership in a hospital to publicly disclose their ownership, and boost daily fines for health code violations.[3]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2022
Jane Nelson did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Texas State Senate District 12
Incumbent Jane Nelson defeated Shadi Zitoon in the general election for Texas State Senate District 12 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jane Nelson (R) | 62.3 | 293,399 |
 | Shadi Zitoon (D)  | 37.7 | 177,610 | |
| Total votes: 471,009 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12
Shadi Zitoon defeated Randy Daniels in the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shadi Zitoon | 57.5 | 32,831 |
 | Randy Daniels | 42.5 | 24,291 | |
| Total votes: 57,122 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12
Incumbent Jane Nelson advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jane Nelson | 100.0 | 63,061 |
| Total votes: 63,061 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
2016
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Texas State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was December 14, 2015.[4]
Incumbent Jane Nelson defeated Rod Wingo in the Texas State Senate District 12 general election.[5]
| Texas State Senate, District 12 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Jane Nelson Incumbent |
82.98% | 241,232 | |
| Libertarian | Rod Wingo | 17.02% | 49,465 | |
| Total Votes | 290,697 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Jane Nelson ran unopposed in the Texas State Senate District 12 Republican Primary.[6][7]
| Texas State Senate, District 12 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Jane Nelson Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2012
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2012
Nelson ran in the 2012 election for Texas State Senate, District 12. Nelson ran unopposed in the May 29 primary election and defeated John A. Betz, Jr. (L) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jane Nelson Incumbent |
83.4% | 203,988 | |
| Libertarian | John Betz, Jr. | 16.6% | 40,570 | |
| Total Votes | 244,558 | |||
2010
- See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2010
Nelson won re-election to the 12th District seat in 2010, defeating Libertarian candidate Mark Frohman in the general election on November 6, 2012.[8]
| Texas State Senate, District 12 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Jane Nelson (R)
|
148,592 | 86.14% | ||
| Mark Frohman (L) | 23,894 | 13.85% | ||
2006
On Nov. 7, 2006, Nelson won re-election to the 12th District seat in the Texas State Senate, defeating opponents Dwight B. Fullingim (D) and Morgan Ware (L).[8]
Nelson raised $764,145 for her campaign while Fullingim raised $245 and Ware raised $0.[9]
| Texas State Senate, District 12 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Jane Nelson (R)
|
109,513 | 63.98% | ||
| Dwight B. Fullingim (D) | 55,380 | 32.35% | ||
| Morgan Ware (L) | 6,273 | 3.66% | ||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jane Nelson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Texas scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2022
In 2022, the Texas State Legislature was not in session.
2021
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In 2021, the Texas State Legislature was in session from January 12 to May 31.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Texas State Legislature was not in session. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Texas State Legislature was in its 86th legislative session from January 8 through May 27.
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2018
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In 2018, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2017
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In 2017, the Texas State Legislature was in its 85th legislative session from January 10 through May 29. A special session was held from July 18 to August 15.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Texas State Legislature was in its 84th legislative session from January 13 through June 1.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2013
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In 2013, the Texas State Legislature was in its 83rd legislative session from January 8 through May 27. Thirty minutes after the regular session ended, Governor Rick Perry called legislators back for a special session starting that evening.[10] Two additional called sessions were held from July 1 through July 30 and July 30 through August 5.[11]
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Texas State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the Texas State Legislature was in its 82nd legislative session from January 11 through May 30. A special session was called for May 31 through June 29.[11]
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Nelson and her husband, J. Michael, have five children.
Awards
- Public Policy Leadership Award (2011), Texas Network of Youth Services[12]
See also
| Texas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Jane Nelson Officially Appointed 115th Texas Secretary of State," January 5, 2023
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed May 24, 2014
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "State Sen. Jane Nelson introduces legislation to bolster the oversight of hospital regulators," August 5, 2013
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 14, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "1992 - Current Election History results," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Texas Secretary of State, "1992 - Current Election History," accessed February 17, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Candidate funds," accessed May 24, 2014
- ↑ kten.com, "Texas Lawmakers To Tackle Redistricting In Special Session," May 29, 2013
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Legislative reference Library of Texas, "Texas Legislative Sessions and Years," accessed June 13, 2014
- ↑ Texas Insider, "Senator Nelson Receives Award for Foster Care Redesign," August 18, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Scott (R) |
Texas Secretary of State 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Texas State Senate District 12 1993-2022 |
Succeeded by - |
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