Good morning, Houston!

Election Day is a hop and a skip away, so it’s important to know what’s on your ballot before you go in. Luckily, our political editor Brian McManus put together a guide to the races you should read before heading to the polls, so the night before Election Day doesn’t feel like a homework crash course.

Here’s a breakdown of what to look out for when you’re casting your ballot.

*Read here for more information about state and local officials’ salaries.

What they do: The US Senate creates and passes federal legislation. Each state has two seats in the Senate, and this race could decide which party controls the Senate: Democrats or Republicans.

Term: 6 years

Salary: $121,000

Who’s running: 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.

Watch more: Find out what Houston Mayor Whitmire has to say about James Talarico

What they do: The Governor of Texas is the state’s top leader and is responsible for signing or vetoing laws, leading the state military, and planning the state’s budget.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $153,750

Who’s running: Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.

What they do: This is Texas’ second-highest executive office after the governor, and the officeholder presides over the Senate, deciding which bills get hearings and directly influencing what becomes state policy and what doesn’t.

Term: 4 years

Salary: Base of $7,200

Who’s running: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick faces Democrat Vikki Goodwin, a state representative from Austin.

Watch more: See what Vikki Goodwin is telling Houstonians

What they do: This role functions as the state’s lawyer, defending state laws, agencies, and staff against challenges.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $153,750

Who’s running: Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas faces Republican state Sen. “MAGA” Mayes Middleton of Galveston.

What they do: This role is the county’s top civil lawyer. The office represents the county in court, including in its frequent legal fights with the state.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $199,160

Who’s running: 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.

Watch more: Christian Menefee wants to flip the state

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What they do: The county judge leads the 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.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $190,860

Who’s running: Democrat Lina Hidalgo, who has held the job since 2019, isn’t seeking reelection. Democrat Letitia Plummer, a former Houston City Council member, faces Republican Orlando Sanchez, a former Harris County treasurer.

Watch more: Here are the issues Letitia Plummer cares about

What they do: This position oversees the county’s budget, flood control and road projects, and its response to state policy.

Term: Staggered 4-year terms

Salary: $179,000

Who’s running: 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.

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.

Precinct 2: Democratic Commissioner Adrian Garcia, a former Harris County sheriff seeking a third term, faces Republican Richard Vega, an Army veteran and pastor. The precinct covers southeast Harris County and north Houston.

What they do: They represent the US House of Representatives by making federal laws, voting on policy, and voting on the federal budget.

Term: 2 years

Salary: $174,000

Who’s running: 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.

Read: What Gutierrez had to say about ICE in the community

What they do: This Houston-area seat could help decide control of the board that sets what Texas students learn.

Term: 4 years

Salary: $0

Who’s running: 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.

Voters 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. It would also prohibit Houston officers from requesting or executing “no-knock” search warrants.

Read more: An in-depth breakdown of Prop A

*Voters in unincorporated Harris County and other cities won’t see this on their ballots.

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. These judges set bail, decide evictions, rule on custody and divorce cases, and oversee probate. Voters will also choose a county clerk, district clerk, and treasurer, along with justices of the peace and, in some precincts, constables.