On Tuesday, Texans will engage in a variety of voting matters, including a significant series of constitutional amendments and a special election to fill a vacant congressional seat in Houston. As voters head to the polls, they will have the opportunity to decide on 17 state constitutional amendments, which encompass a range of topics, including parents' rights, judicial conduct, alterations to the bail system, and state taxes. Additionally, citywide ballot measures, local elections, and a Fort Worth state Senate race will also feature on the ballot.
Among the statewide ballot propositions, many are focused on tax issues, such as capital gains (Proposition 2), animal feed (Proposition 5), and securities (Proposition 6). Two specific ballot measures are indicative of the national Republican agenda. Proposition 15 emphasizes that "parents are the primary decision makers for their children," which has become a motivating issue among Republican figures like Governor Greg Abbott. On the other hand, Proposition 16 seeks to reinforce the requirement that a voter must be a United States citizen, despite the fact that it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Interestingly, the Tarrant County Democratic Party has chosen to remain neutral on these propositions, while the Bexar County Democratic Party opposes them under the premise that they merely restate existing law.
In the 18th Congressional District, a special election is being held to fill the seat left vacant by the recent passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. The district is known for its strong Democratic leanings; Kamala Harris won it by a significant 40 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. A total of 16 candidates are vying for the position, and it is possible that a runoff election may be necessary if no candidate achieves over 50% of the vote.
Notably, the vacancy in the 18th Congressional District resulted from the deaths of two representatives within a year. Longtime Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee passed away in July 2024, and her daughter, Erica Lee Carter, completed Jackson Lee's term before endorsing Turner. Unfortunately, Turner also died shortly after beginning his term, leading to this special election. Lee Carter is supporting Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, who has earned endorsements from several prominent Texas Democrats, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Colin Allred, and Beto O’Rourke.
Amanda Edwards, a former city council member, is among the top fundraisers in the race, backed by EMILY's List, which supports women candidates. State Representative Jolanda Jones, representing part of Houston, has received support from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Isaiah Martin, who claims to represent the "Gen-Z" demographic, is running as a candidate with a notable social media presence, boasting over 600,000 followers on TikTok. The Republican side features five candidates, including Theodis Daniel, known for being the father of a childhood cancer survivor honored by the Secret Service during a Congressional event, and independent candidate George Edward Foreman IV, the son of the late heavyweight boxing champion.
Polls across Texas will close statewide at 7 p.m. local time, although the state spans two time zones. The majority of Texas will have polling stations closing at 8 p.m. ET, while the westernmost region of the state will see polls shut down at 9 p.m. ET. The 18th Congressional District falls entirely within the Central Time Zone, meaning voting there will close at 8 p.m. ET.
Registered voters in Texas are eligible to cast ballots on all 17 statewide ballot measures, while only those registered in the 18th Congressional District can vote in the special election. As of January, Texas had approximately 18.3 million registered voters, with the 2024 presidential election seeing about 61% turnout. In that election, nearly 80% of votes were made before Election Day. The 18th Congressional District had nearly 420,000 registered voters, with around 52% participating in the 2024 race, and approximately 78% of ballots cast before the election.
As of October 28, a total of 759,969 ballots had already been cast for this election cycle, indicating a strong interest among voters. Historically, election results are typically reported soon after polls close, allowing for a substantial amount of votes to be tallied quickly. In the previous presidential election, preliminary results began to emerge at 8 p.m. ET, coinciding with poll closures in the Central Time Zone.
The upcoming election represents not only a critical moment for local governance in Texas but also a snapshot of larger national trends influenced by party politics and voter interests.
