HOUSTON — Election Day is here as voters head to the polls to pick the next president of the United States. Former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris go head-to-head in that race.
There are several other key races that people in the Houston area and Texas will decide. In Texas, voters will also decide a hotly contested U.S. Senate race between incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred, as well as the U.S. House District 18 race between former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Lana Centonze, to take over the seat left vacant by the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. But that's just one of the races for the seat Rep. Jackson Lee held. We're also following the vote on the $4.4B HISD bond proposition
Watch LIVE now: Election coverage on KHOU 11+, available on Roku, FireTV and AppleTV.
We're keeping a running account of Election Day below from our reporters across the Houston area and the state, plus we're working with our TEGNA Texas sister stations to make sure you're covered wherever you are in the state.
What you need to know
- 2024 Voting Guide: Where to vote, what's on the ballot and what you can and can't bring to the polls
- VERIFYING claims from Kamala Harris and Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential election
- VERIFYING claims from Donald Trump and JD Vance during the 2024 presidential campaign
- Electoral College: How many votes does each state get?
- What to know about the candidates for U.S. Senate
- What to know about the HISD $4.4B bond proposal
- Here are the propositions on the Harris County ballot for the Nov. 5 General Election
Your voting experience?
Once you've cast your ballot, we want to hear from you. What was your voting experience like? Let us know by texting 713-526-1111.
Election Protection Hotline
Your voice matters, and at KHOU 11, we are committed to making sure that every eligible voter has their vote counted this Election.
KHOU 11 has partnered with Univision 45 and the NALEO Educational Fund for an Election Protection Hotline to provide a crucial service to protect your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5th. The hotline provides one-on-one assistance to voters who have questions or are experiencing problems at their polling place.
The hotline will be available in English and Spanish on Nov. 5 from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. If you need any voting assistance, call 1-888-839-8682. From polling locations to voting procedures, we are here to help.
'Buckle up, it will be a late night'
In a 7:30 p.m. update, Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said over 500 voting centers were still open with voters still in line. She said over 360,000 Harris County voters had already cast ballots in person on Election Day. About 1.2 million people voted early.
Hudspeth said Harris County has had a successful, smooth election without any major problems. She said hundreds of election workers are at busy at Election Central and will be there all night if necessary.
"Buckle up, it will be a late night," Hudspeth said.
Sylvester Turner elected to Congress
The former Houston mayor ran for the District 18 seat left vacant when his longtime friend, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, passed away earlier this year from cancer.
With 68% of polls reporting, Turner had 70% while Republican Lana Centonze had 30%.
Presidential race results from some East Coast states
All eyes are on the historic presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Track real-time race results, including key battleground states.
You can also check out how Texas is voting in the race for the highest office in the land.
Can Colin Allred unseat Ted Cruz in the U.S. Senate race?
One key race Texas voters are deciding is the one for the U.S. Senate. Republican incumbent Ted Cruz takes on challenger Democratic U.S. Rep Colin Allred. Polls show the race is a tight one.
Cruz, who lives in Houston, has been in the U.S. Senate since 2013. He first won a Senate seat in 2012, when he beat Democrat Paul Sadler. In 2018, Cruz narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. Cruz also ran for president in 2016, but dropped out in the primary. It was a presidential election won by Donald Trump.
Allred, who is from Dallas, has been in the U.S. House since 2019, first beating incumbent Pete Sessions in the 2018 election. He beat Republican challengers Genevieve Collins in 2020 and Antonio Swand in 2022. Allred is a former football player for the Tennessee Titans and Baylor Bears.
KHOU 11's Jason Miles is covering the Cruz watch party tonight while Victor Jacobos is in Dallas for the Allred watch party. You can see live updates throughout the night on KHOU 11+.
Polls close at 7 p.m.
A lot of voters headed to the polls when they got off work so there are long lines in some areas. Remember though, anyone who's already in line when the polls close at 7 p.m. can still cast a ballot.
Reminders if you're voting by mail
Deadlines to submit mail ballots: The ballot must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.
Deadline to submit overseas ballots: Last mail delivery on the fifth day after Election Day.
Deadline to submit military ballots: Last mail delivery on the sixth day after Election Day.
Tips to avoid having mail ballot rejected
- Your application must be signed.
- You must provide either your Driver’s License/Personal ID Number (issued by DPS) or the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number. Your number must match what is on file with your voter registration, so we encourage you to provide both numbers if you are unsure of what you registered with.
- If you’re eligible and are requesting a ballot for each of the elections this year, mark the box next to “Annual Application” and the reason you’re eligible.
TSU students turn out in steady numbers
Texas Southern University students lined up to cast their ballots on Tuesday. KHOU 11's Trason Bragg reported a steady flow of students throughout the afternoon. A woman who said she's spent several years working to inform young voters and get them to the polls said she's seeing more student engagement this year.
"I have seen a lot more excitement. We were texting young folks, folks that we’ve registered on this campus and across Houston and usually when you text you don’t really get many responses," Shelly Baker said. "This year. people are like, 'Yeah, where’s my polling location?' Really want to get that information so they can get out and vote."
TSU is also holding an election night watch party.
Patriotic pups greet voters in Pearland
A couple of friendly pooches from the Houston Humane Society got all decked out in red, white, and blue to greet voters and help ease Election Day stress at the West Pearland Library on Tuesday. Both Sandy and Jerry are available for adoption.
Harris County voter turnout
According to the Harris County Elections Department, as of 3:05 p.m., they have recorded more than 200,000 in-person votes cast on Election Day.
Harris County polling locations wait times
Harris County has 700 places to cast your vote for the November 5 General and Special Elections.
Harris County provides a map showing all 700 voting sites and the wait times at each location. The map provides an estimated wait time and a count of the number of people in line at each voting site.
Can you vote at any polling place in your county on Election Day?
In some Texas counties, voters can go to any polling location within the county they are registered in to cast their ballot while others require voters to go to the one they are assigned to.
In the Houston area, voters in Harris County can cast their ballot at any location. The same is true for Fort Bend, Galveston, Brazoria, Liberty, Chambers and Walker counties.
In Montgomery and Waller counties, voters must cast their ballot in the precinct where they are registered to vote.
Texas, Department of Justice reach an agreement on federal monitors
A political fight has unfolded among Harris County leaders as the federal government prepares to send election monitors to Texas. The Justice Department revealed plans Friday to send federal monitors to 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election.
In Texas, the DOJ said it would monitor election compliance in eight counties: Harris, Waller, Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Hays, and Palo Pinto. On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden-Harris administration and the DOJ over their plan to deploy federal monitors.
On Tuesday morning, Paxton said an agreement had been reached with the DOJ.
According to the agreement, election monitors from the DOJ will remain outside of polling and central count locations. Voters will be allowed to speak with them if they choose to within the parameters of the Texas Election Code.
The DOJ monitors will be subject to Texas law regarding electioneering and other conduct within 100 feet of polling and central count locations, the agreement states.
RELATED: Fight brewing over federal election monitors in Texas, including in two Houston-area counties
Colin Allred addresses supporters
Colin Allred addressed his supporters in Dallas early on Election Day, thanking them for their hard work. Volunteers were operating a phone back and launching last-minute door-knocking efforts to turn out voters.
His final message to supporters encapsulated his overall campaign themes of focusing on reproductive rights and criticizing his opponent, Ted Cruz, for what he called failed representation.
Watch Allred's address below:
