HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Monday was the first day of early voting in Houston and turnout was higher than the last two mayoral elections in 2019 and 2015. In the race to replace outgoing Mayor Sylvester Turner, 12,740 voters cast early ballots in Harris County. Another 3,289 mail ballots were returned for a total of 16,620 votes, 7,000+ more than 2019.
"It shows there's a lot of interest in this race," KHOU 11 News political analyst Brandon Rottinghaus said. "Both campaigns are happy you got a lot of people engaged. That means you got more voters who are targets to talk to."
John Whitmire and Sheila Jackson Lee are battling it out in the mayoral race which has gotten nasty with on-air ads and a troubling audio recording, which Lee acknowledged in a statement Monday night.
"I want to convey to the people of Houston that I strongly believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and that includes my own staff. I know that I am not perfect. I recognize that in my zeal to do everything possible to deliver for my constituents I have in the past fallen short of my own standards and there is no excuse for that. I am passionate about serving my constituents. I want the best for all of them.
At heart, I am someone who tells it straight. I know that as much as that is a strength, it can sometimes be a challenge to balance. But when I fall short, I want the people I represent to know that it is because I’m standing up for them - not me. To anyone who has listened to this recording with concern, I am regretful and hope you will judge me not by something trotted out by a political opponent, that worked to exploit this, and backed by extreme Republican supporters on the very day that polls open, but from what I’ve delivered to Houstonians over my years of public service.
Many staff have worked in my office and many of them have gone on to bigger and better opportunities, and others as well have returned to work with me again. Interns in my office leave with actual constituent service and legislative experience. I want each of them to know that the work we accomplish would never be possible without their hard work and dedication. Working as a public servant is demanding, but it is my calling. I expect excellence at all times and I know that it is because of their commitment that I am able to fulfill my duties as an elected official. I will never forget the debt of gratitude I and so many others owe them.
Moving forward, I want the people of Houston to know that my vision for our city, as mayor, is unwavering. I am dedicated to addressing the pressing issues that our community faces, such as crime and public safety, education, healthcare, affordable housing, and economic and greater job development. I’m excited about the opportunities to secure more federal funds and developing public private partnerships for the city. I am committed to making Houston a better place for all of us, and the sooner we can refocus on the real issues we face instead of political attacks and stunts, the sooner we can achieve these goals. I look forward to uniting this very diverse city and recognize that our strength is in the work we will do together."
Sixteen other candidates are also running for mayor.
There are 16 city council seats up for grabs and four candidates running for city controller. Voters will also decide on several city and statewide propositions on the ballot, including whether homestead tax exemptions should be increased for Texas property owners.
Early voting ends on Nov. 3
If you want to vote early, you have until Nov. 3 to do so at any of the 68 early-voting locations across Harris County.
"So, make a plan to vote. (You have) Twelve days, no excuses," Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said.
Hudspeth has more than 15 years of prior election experience and is overseeing the election this year after a new law got rid of the appointed election administrator position and shifted those responsibilities back to her office.
On Monday, she said, the first day of early voting went smoothly, with all polls opening up on time.
"We did all that we could to cross our Ts and dot our Is with all entities, and every single location had their equipment before the weekend," she said.
Voters we talked to, including Vincent Nathan, agreed.
"They're really organized in there," Nathan said. "The longest time it took for me was to decide what I was going to vote for."
To prevent problems Harris County encountered in 2022, Hudspeth said, for the first time they've hired election techs for every site, plus 142 emergency staff at NRG are standing by in case someone doesn't show up at a polling location. She also said they've doubled the amount of allocation for paper ballots.
"So no voter will come to a poll and not have paper to vote," Hudspeth said.
Hudspeth also confirmed that the Texas Secretary of State's Office will be visiting some of the polling locations, including the election command center at NRG.
"We're working together to make sure we're covering our bases here and we don't revisit some of the concerns that have happened in the past," she said.
Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 3 and Election Day is Nov. 7. Hudspeth said Harris County voters will have 701 locations to choose from that day.
For information about wait times, what kind of ID to bring, and to see sample ballots, click here.