When Harris County voters step into the booth this fall, they’ll be scrolling for a while. Before they reach the bottom of the ballot, they’ll have chosen a US senator, a governor, and a congressional representative, plus the county’s next top executive, its lawyer, and dozens of judges who decide everything from bail to evictions to custody cases.
The marquee races at the top of the ticket have drawn national attention and record spending. But in Texas’ largest county, several down-ballot contests will shape daily life just as much, and they’re getting a fraction of the attention.
Here’s what to know.
The statewide races
Most voters already know the top of the ticket. Democrats haven’t won a statewide race in Texas in more than 30 years, and this year several of those races are closer than they’ve been in decades. Courier Texas has a full rundown of the competitive statewide races, but here are the basics.
- US Senate: Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the seat held by Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in the Republican primary. Talarico has led in most polls. The race could decide control of the Senate. National Republicans have poured millions into Texas to shore up Paxton, whose campaign has been hit by a string of leaked recordings and new revelations about a Dubai trip with US fugitives. Talarico, a former teacher, is running on getting money out of politics and lowering costs.
- Governor: Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Abbott has a large cash advantage, but polls have shown a closer race than expected. Hinojosa has made public schools central to her campaign, pledging to fire Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath on her first day and opposing the state’s new school voucher program.
- Lieutenant governor: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick faces Democrat Vikki Goodwin, a state representative from Austin in a race that’s become closer than many observers expected. Patrick led Texas’ THC ban, which was bipartisan in its unpopularity—effectively destroying a multi-billion dollar industry and eliminating some 36,000 jobs—and has been at the forefront of the state’s efforts to ban books.
- Attorney general: The race to replace Paxton is a dead heat, according to a recent Texas Politics Project poll. Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas faces Republican state Sen. “MAGA” Mayes Middleton of Galveston.
None of the Republicans in those four races has agreed to debate their Democratic opponent.
Harris County judge
The biggest race on the county ballot is for the open county judge seat. Democrat Lina Hidalgo, who has held the job since 2019, isn’t seeking reelection.
The county judge leads Commissioners Court, which sets the budget for a county of nearly 5 million people. The judge also directs the county’s emergency response during hurricanes, floods, and freezes.
Democrat Letitia Plummer, a former Houston City Council member, faces Republican Orlando Sanchez, a former Harris County treasurer. A University of Houston Hobby School survey released this week found Plummer leading 47% to 40%. But nearly half of likely voters said they didn’t know enough about either candidate to form an opinion, and Rice University political scientist Mark Jones, one of the survey’s authors, said a seven-point margin isn’t a big lead.
The same survey found 71% of county voters think the county is headed in the wrong direction.
Abbott has said he wants to turn Harris County “dark red,” and this race is the clearest test.
Who controls Commissioners Court
Democrats hold four of the five seats on Commissioners Court. Three are on the ballot this year: county judge and the commissioners for Precincts 2 and 4. If Republicans win two of the three, they would take control of the county’s budget, its flood control and road projects, and its response to state policy.
Only voters who live in Precincts 2 and 4 will see those races on their ballots.
- Precinct 4: Democratic Commissioner Lesley Briones faces Republican Steve Radack, who represented Precinct 3 on the court for more than 30 years before leaving office in 2020. The Hobby School survey shows Briones leading 49% to 41%. The precinct covers west Harris County and southwest Houston.
- Precinct 2: Democratic Commissioner Adrian Garcia, a former Harris County sheriff seeking a third term, faces Republican Richard Vega, an Army veteran and pastor. Garcia leads 52% to 40%. The precinct covers southeast Harris County and north Houston.
Harris County Attorney
Voters will also fill the remaining term of Harris County Attorney, the county’s top civil lawyer. The office represents the county in court, including in its frequent legal fights with the state.
The seat opened when Christian Menefee won the special election for Houston’s 18th Congressional District. Democrat Abbie Kamin, a civil rights attorney and former Houston City Council member, has served as interim county attorney since June. She faces Republican Jacqueline Lucci Smith, a former Harris County civil court judge who once worked in the county attorney’s office.
Either way, Harris County will elect its first woman to the job.
Texas’ 9th Congressional District
For decades, the 9th District was a safe Democratic seat in southwest Houston, represented by Rep. Al Green. Last year’s redistricting moved it entirely. It now stretches from Houston’s East End through Pasadena, Baytown and Deer Park into Liberty County, an area Trump carried by 20 points in 2024. Green lost in a special election for the 18th District to Menefee.
Republican Alex Mealer, an Army veteran who narrowly lost the 2022 race for Harris County judge, won the nomination with Trump’s endorsement and is the heavy favorite. She faces Democrat Leticia Gutierrez, an environmental advocate from the East End. Mealer has raised about $2 million, according to The Texas Tribune, while Gutierrez has raised about $55,000.
About 62% of the district’s residents are Hispanic, so the race is a test of whether Houston-area Latino voters, many of whom shifted toward Republicans in 2024, will keep voting that way.
Houston’s other congressional seats are considered safely Democratic: Rep. Lizzie Fletcher in the 7th District and Rep. Christian Menefee in the 18th.
State Board of Education, District 6
This Houston-area seat could help decide control of the board that sets what Texas students learn. The Republican-dominated board voted this summer to make Texas the first state to require Bible readings in public schools.
Republican Will Hickman isn’t seeking reelection. Democrat Michelle Palmer faces Republican Tiffany Nelson, and the race is considered a toss-up. Republicans hold a 10-5 majority in the SBOE, so Democrats would need to flip three seats to take control. Check out all the races here.
Houston Proposition A
Voters who live in the city of Houston will see one ballot measure, a proposed charter amendment. Proposition A would require Houston police to make enforcement of misdemeanor marijuana possession their lowest priority, with related reporting requirements. It would also prohibit Houston officers from requesting or executing “no-knock” search warrants. Read an in-depth breakdown of Prop A from Courier Texas here.
Voters in unincorporated Harris County and other cities won’t see it.
The judges
Further down the ballot are dozens of judicial races: state district courts, county civil and criminal courts, probate courts, and the 1st and 14th Courts of Appeals. All Harris County voters vote on all of them, regardless of where they live.
These judges set bail, decide evictions, rule on custody and divorce cases, and oversee probate. Many voters skip these races or vote straight party, so the results often follow the top of the ticket.
Voters will also choose a county clerk, district clerk, and treasurer, along with justices of the peace and constables in some precincts.
See your ballot before you go
Because many races depend on where you live, every ballot is different. Look up your sample ballot by entering your address at HarrisVotes.com. You can print it, mark your choices and bring it into the voting booth with you.
Harris County voters can cast a ballot at any polling location in the county, during early voting or on Election Day. Bring an acceptable photo ID.
arriEarly voting runs Oct. 19–30. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23. Election Day is Nov. 3.
