It’s Election Day, And Here’s What’s on the Ballot 

By the end of the day, residents in Congressional District 18 could finally have a representative after a months-long vacancy, Houston could have a new at-large city council member, and residents in the Cypress-Fairbanks school district will have chosen between a conservative Republican slate and a new group of progressives. 

Seventeen constitutional amendments, ranging from bail reform to a statewide water fund, will also be decided. Houston, Klein and Aldine ISDs and Houston City College will be electing new trustees, and several utility district measures are also on the ballot. 

About 212,104 Harris County residents, or less than 8 percent of registered voters, cast ballots during an 11-day early voting period that ended Friday. Six hundred polling locations are open across Harris County from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 4. 

All Texans can vote for the constitutional amendments but the rest of the ballot looks different for Harris County residents, depending on where they live. Voters are advised to review a sample ballot before heading to the polls. 

Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth called the Houston Press on Monday morning between stops at polling sites to check equipment. She anticipated that the turnout could rise to about 11 percent by the end of the day Tuesday but said she did not expect long lines or problems with voting machines. 

“We know, with trends in Harris County, that the majority of the voters have already made up their minds and voted during early voting,” she said. “I wish that we had the same number of people who voted in a presidential election but that’s not the reality.”

Casting a ballot is easier than it’s ever been, Hudspeth added. Curbside voting is available for residents who can’t get out of their vehicles due to illness or disability, and those who didn’t send off a mail-in ballot by the deadline can drop it off at a vote center or the downtown elections office. 

“We’re testing out all our systems and making sure we’re supporting those 600 vote centers that are all setting up their equipment,” Hudspeth said. “We’re making sure we have backup resources. We have tech support that will be roving around in the field in case there are any power outages or connectivity issues.”

Just one power outage was reported during early voting, prompting a temporary closure at the Bay Area Community Center in Seabrook. Election officials said the outage was weather-related and mitigated quickly.

Constitutional Amendments

Ten of the 17 constitutional amendments deal with taxes. Exemptions are proposed for homeowners, senior citizens, spouses of veterans, animal feed and land being used for border security infrastructure. 

The Houston Progressive Caucus urged members to vote against three of the amendments, saying Propositions 2, 6 and 8 provide tax breaks for the wealthy. 

Texas already banned “any sort of wealth tax” in a previous election, so the three measures are just further ensuring that “billionaires like Elon Musk don’t have to pay taxes,” said Karthik Soora, cofounder of the Houston Progressive Caucus. 

Many of the propositions aren’t controversial, with several serving as “messaging amendments” such as Prop 15, which affirms that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children. The proposition will likely get some “no” votes, however, from critics concerned that it will weaponize the Constitution to propagate right-wing culture wars involving LGBTQ+ families and book bans.

Proposition 4 would allow the state to set aside $1 billion per year in a water fund, using existing sales tax. The measure has drawn opposition from the Texas Policy Research, which says that spending shouldn’t be locked into the constitution. Other critics have expressed concern about oversight from the three-member Texas Water Development Board, appointed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. 

A bail reform package supported by Abbott and Texas attorney general candidate Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, has been advertised as a way to ensure that violent criminals won’t commit more crimes while out on bond. What it actually does is require judges to deny bail, limiting discretion, to defendants accused of certain felonies. 

Opponents include the Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Jail Project. They say it has disastrous consequences for public safety, overcrowded jails, and mental health treatments. 

“Because of overcrowding, the jail system is already the largest warehouse of people with mental illness in the state of Texas,” Krish Gundu, executive director of the Texas Jail Project, told the Texas Observer. “We cannot keep punishing our way out of this mental health crisis.”

Congressional District 18

Sixteen candidates are vying for the U.S. Congressional District 18 seat vacated by former Rep. Sylvester Turner’s death in March. 

Political experts say the race is likely to result in a January runoff between Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, both Democrats. 

Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, was in a distant third place in the latest poll but said in a media briefing last week she’s going to compete until the end. 

“I’m going to fight as hard in Congress as I am fighting for each one of these votes. This is a low turnout election,” Jones said. “As I go around this city, everyone is complaining that Democrats don’t fight. Well, wake up, world. I’m that fighter.”

Jones referenced a recent CNN interview in which she said she planned to “fight ugly” against the Trump administration. 

“When they go low, I’m going to the gutter,” she said in Friday’s media briefing. “I did not stutter. The reason for that is that Trump and everyone who supports him, they freakin’ live in the gutter. You cannot fight someone in the gutter with any rules.”

CD 18 candidates have attempted to combat confusion over whether a redistricting map approved by the Texas Legislature this summer moved people out of the district, therefore rendering them unable to vote for a representative to fill Turner’s unexpired term. That’s not the case; the map is being contested in court and voters who cast ballots in District 18 in 2024 can vote in Tuesday’s election and in the runoff, if there is one. 

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

Eight candidates are vying for three trustee positions on the Cypress-Fairbanks school board, and the race has been characterized as a referendum on conservative policies in suburban schools. 

A GOP-backed slate of Radele Walker (Position 5), incumbent Natalie Blasingame (Position 6) and George Edwards (Position 7) has touted their Christian faith and conservative values. 

A group of progressive candidates who all have a background in education and have kids currently enrolled in Cy-Fair ISD — Lesley Guilmart (Position 5), Cleveland Lane Jr. (Position 6) and Kendra Camarena (Position 7) — are challenging. 

Board president Scott Henry, who has previously been endorsed by the Harris County Republican Party, is running for Position 6 and is endorsed by three current board members. Political newcomer Elecia Jones is running for Position 7. 

School board races are nonpartisan but try telling that to the residents of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. The conservative slate recently attended a rally for Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, at which he said he wanted to turn Harris County “dark red.” 

The Harris County Democratic Party didn’t endorse in this race but former party chair Odus Evbagharu, a candidate for Texas House of Representatives, is supporting the progressive slate, along with several other Democratic officials. 

Houston City Council and School Board

Fifteen candidates are in the race for the unexpired term of At-Large Houston City Council member Letitia Plummer, who resigned to run for county judge. 

Frontrunners in the race, based on fundraising and social media presence, include Plummer’s former chief of staff and Grid United project manager Jordan Thomas, attorney Alejandra Salinas and former Councilman Dwight Boykins. 

The council race could go to a runoff if none of the candidates garner more than 50 percent of the vote. 

Six candidates are running in three contested Houston ISD races, which some critics say don’t actually matter because the elected board members don’t have any voting power. The Texas Education Agency took over HISD in 2023, appointing a superintendent and board of managers, but the elected trustees will regain power when the state takeover ends. 

Maria Benzon and Robbie McDonough are running for District V. Michael McDonough and Kendall Baker are vying for District VI, and Bridget Wade and Audrey Nath are facing off for District VII. 

The Harris County Democratic Party endorsed Felicity Pereyra in an uncontested District I race along with Benzon, Michael McDonough and Nath. Although the positions are nonpartisan, Party Chair Mike Doyle said the endorsed candidates “share a commitment to strong public schools, equity in education, and the democratic values that empower Houston families.”

“At this point, unfortunately, the Trumpsters have turned school districts into an ideological playground and parents, teachers, and families are in a position where, unless they have the most qualified folks identified, they’re not necessarily going to know who [to vote for], so we felt an important need to speak out,” he said when the endorsements were released. It’s the first time the party has backed candidates in a nonpartisan school board race.

The Harris County Republican Party endorsed two Houston ISD candidates, Robbie McDonough for District V and Wade for District VII. Harris County GOP Party Chair Cindy Siegel said the party began endorsing school board candidates in 2021 and takes credit for flipping three school boards to a Republican majority.

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