Early voting for the Nov. 4 election began Monday in Harris County, where more than 10,700 ballots were cast in person and another 3,200-plus were returned by mail.
The early voting period runs until Oct. 31, with Election Day on Nov. 4.
RELATED: How to vote in the November 2025 election in Harris County
With 11 days left to participate in early voting, here’s a rundown of everything that’s on the ballot for Harris County voters.
Statewide propositions
The only statewide items on this November’s ballot are 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
More than half of the proposed amendments deal with taxation, while the rest contend with issues such as water infrastructure funding, bail practices, how state judges are disciplined, dementia research, parental rights and voter registration requirements.
The Texas Newsroom has a breakdown on all 17 constitutional amendments. Houston Public Media also did a deep dive into the tax-related amendments.
Special election for U.S. Representative, District 18
While there are no county-wide ballot items for Harris County during this election cycle, voters within Texas’ 18th Congressional District will have their chance to cast a ballot to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March at the age of 70.
Via U.S. Census Bureau
Turner was the longtime mayor of Houston, serving from 2016 to 2024. He had been in office only for a few months after being elected to represent the 18th District in November 2024.
While Gov. Greg Abbott could have called for the special election to take place in May, he allowed the deadline to pass, waiting until April to call a special election for this November.
There are 16 candidates on the ballot to complete Turner’s term, with seven Democratic candidates, five Republican candidates, three independent candidates and one Green Party candidate.
According to a poll released by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs last week, Democrats Christian Menefee, the acting Harris County Attorney, and former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards are leading the pack.
The candidates, in the order they appear on the ballot, are:
Ollie J. Knox (Rep.)
Amanda Edwards (Dem.)
Jolanda Jones (Dem.)
Theodis Daniel (Rep.)
Vince Duncan (Ind.)
George Edward Foreman IV (Ind.)
Isaiah R. Martin (Dem.)
Tammie Jean Rochester (Green)
Christian Dashaun Menefee (Dem.)
Valencia Williams (Dem.)
Ronald Dwayne Whitfield (Rep.)
Reyna Anderson (Ind.)
Carter Page (Rep.)
Feldon Bonner II (Dem.)
Stephen Huey (Dem.)
Carmen Maria Montiel (Rep.)
For a candidate to win this November, Texas law requires them to receive more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters would likely occur in February.
If a runoff does occur, that means the constituents of the 18th Congressional District will have gone nearly a year without representation in the U.S. House by the time a candidate takes office.
Houston City Council special election
Residents of Houston will also have a special election to fill the vacant at-large position 4 on the Houston City Council. The seat’s being left vacant as Letitia Plummer is stepping down to run for Harris County judge.
There are currently 15 candidates running to fill the position, and since it is an at-large seat, all Houston voters can cast a ballot to fill the position.
Houston Public Media has a full breakdown of all 14 candidates named on the ballot as well as one declared write-in candidate.
City of Baytown
The City of Baytown will have several items on the ballot for its residents.
Baytown voters will be deciding on two city council positions for council member District 1 and council member District 3.
Baytown residents will also be able to vote on six propositions.
Proposition A – A $69,865,000 bond for traffic infrastructure and utility improvements.
Proposition B – A $30,450,000 bond for additional traffic infrastructure and utility improvements.
Proposition C – A $14,030,000 bond for the design, construction and acquisition of land for drainage improvements.
Proposition D – A $4,250,000 bond for improvements to the city’s No. 4 Fire Station.
Proposition E – A $13,000,000 bond for improvements to the Wetlands Center Education Facility and Arboretum Gardens.
Proposition F – A $19,760,000 bond for improvements to Wayne Gray Sports Complex, the Gene & Loretta Russel Park and Unidad Park.
Baytown will also have proposition elections for its crime control and prevention district and its fire control, prevention, and emergency medical service district.
The full text of each proposition can be found on the sample ballot below.
City of Bellaire
The City of Bellaire will have four city-level positions on its ballot, including a mayoral election and the elections for city council positions 1, 3, and 5.
The mayoral and position 1 races are uncontested on the ballot, with Gus E. Pappas being the only mayoral candidate and Winfred C. Frazier being the only position 1 candidate.
City of Jersey Village
Jersey Village has three bond propositions on the ballot.
Proposition A – A $21,620,000 bond for improvements and remodeling for various municipal buildings.
Proposition B – A $20,000,000 bond for repairs and renovations to the city’s water, sanitary sewer, and drainage system.
Proposition C – A $6,500,000 bond for the construction of a municipal pool complex.
The full text of the propositions can be found on the sample ballot below.
City of Missouri City
Missouri City will have several city-level elections, including a mayoral election and votes for council member at-large positions 1 and 2.
Local school board elections
Aldine ISD trustee elections:
Aldine voters will have the opportunity to vote on three Aldine ISD positions: 3, 4 and 5.
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD trustee elections:
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD School Board trustee positions 5, 6, and 7 will be up for election this November.
Houston ISD trustee elections:
Houston ISD trustees for Districts 5, 6 and 7 will be up for election.
Houston ISD is currently run by a state-appointed board of managers and a state-appointed superintendent, meaning that the elected school board does not currently have any voting power. However, Houstonians can still elect members to the school board who would regain power when the Texas Education Agency relinquishes control.
Klein ISD trustee elections:
Positions 3, 6 and 7 will be up for election on the Klein ISD School Board. Position 6 candidate Cathy M. Arellano is running unopposed.
Houston City College election:
Trustee positions for the Houston City College trustees for Districts I and II will be on the ballot.
The Woodlands Township:
The Woodlands Township will have director elections for Positions 5, 6 and 7. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is running unopposed for Position 5.
Utility district elections:
The following governmental entities will have utility and/or water supply district elections on the ballot.
Harris County:
Fresh Water Supply District No. 1A maintenance tax election
Municipal Utility Districts 33, 86, 130, 189, 304, 610
County Utility District 16
Water Control and Improvement Districts 36, 74, 116
Harris-Fort Bend County:
Municipal Utility District No. 3
Harris-Waller Counties:
Municipal Utility District No. 11
Other utility district elections:
Louetta Road Utility District
Northwest Park Municipal Utility District
Rice Village Management District
St. George Place Management District
Harris County residents can get a specialized sample ballot based on their address by visiting the Harris County Clerk’s Office website.
The following is a generic sample ballot including all of the items, regardless of location within Harris County.