Election Day 2018: Key Houston Area Elections Worth Watching

HOUSTON, TX -- Election day has finally arrived, and voters will be lined of for much of the day to cast their ballot in one of the most heavily advertised and one of the most issue-driven midterm elections in years.

Nearly 1 million registered voters took part in the early voting period in Harris County, with record-setting turnouts were also recorded in Fort Bend and Montgomery County. It’s possible another 1 to 1.5 million could cast ballots in Harris and surrounding counties today.

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Here in Texas, the senate race between Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto O’Rourke are center stage, and while both candidates have jockeyed back and forth in the polls over the preceding weeks, it could still be anyone’s race.

There are several other races in the Houston area that could swing majority leadership back to the Democrats for the first time in nearly a decade.

One of those is the District 7 race where Democrat Lizzie Fletcher has made a strong push to unseat Republican incumbent John Culberson. Fletcher has peppered the airwaves in recent months with ads that paint her as a uniter, while portraying Culberson as a typical party politician.

She has also adopted the mantra of bringing a bit more of Houston into Washington, a similar proclamation that U.S. Rep. Ted Poe has used for years when he returned to Houston. Fletcher could have her work cut out for her to unseat Culberson.

Congressional District 7 is a traditionally Republican district that hasn’t had a Democrat representing them since 1967, when John Dowdy lost to a very young George H.W. Bush. Still, this could be a late night for both candidates.

Another key race for Houston area voters is in the District 22 contest in Fort Bend County between Republican incumbent Pete Olson and Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni. Although this has been a staunchly Republican district in recent years, it could swing to either party.

During this election, Kulkarni has emerged as a fresh-faced candidate from a very diverse congressional district who is willing to work for the people, while painting Olson as a do-nothing candidate.

The district has been represented by several well-known political leaders in the past, including retired US Rep Ron Paul, who was a familiar name on presidential ballots, and former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, who made headlines in the early 2000s and was forced to resign in 2006.

This election is also an issue driven election with the Houston Professional Firefighters Association locking horns with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston Police Officer’s Union over pay parity.

Firefighters are demanding they receive the same pay as police, and while that sounds equitable, Turner says it could be a financial disaster to the tune of $98 per year and lead to layoffs and early retirements in many departments city-wide.

The issue, known as Proposition B, has been called a bad deal by Turner and the Houston Police Officers Union, while firefighters are saying it’s fair, necessary, and won’t break the bank, like Turner says.

If Proposition B fails, expect to see an exodus of firefighters to departments outside of Houston, or to Houston area suburbs, where the pay and benefits are better. While a sensitive issue, it’s probable that the early voting totals will line up with election day totals.

Finally, for a list of election day voting locations in Harris County, click here.
Check your voter registration status and find the list of districts and local entities you are eligible to vote for at www.harrisvotes.com.

Voters should remember to bring a valid form of identification when they come to the polls during early voting or on election day.
Acceptable forms of identification include identification with a photograph, such as:

• A valid drivers license
• A US Passport
• A concealed handgun license
• A Military identification card
• A US Citizens certificate with photograph

However, if you don't have any of these, the voter must fill out a declaration at the polls describing a reasonable impediment to obtaining it, and show a copy or original of one of the following supporting forms of ID:

• A government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate
• Current utility bill
• Bank statement
• Government check
• Paycheck
• (a) A certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

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