HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Election Day is here, and Houstonians will elect a new mayor in addition to voting for city councilmembers and the city controller.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is term-limited after serving as mayor since 2016. So no matter who wins, Houston will elect a new mayor for the first time in eight years.
According to our partners at the Houston Chronicle, State Sen. John Whitmire and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee lead most polls with more than 30%.
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Last month, a University of Houston poll found 43% of voters indicated they would never vote for Jackson Lee, compared to 15% who say they would never vote for Whitmire.
The 15 other candidates are each polling at 4% or less, with 22% of voters undecided.
Unless Whitmire, who has a slight lead in the UH poll, can exceed expectations and get more than half the votes, the frontrunners are destined for a runoff.
ABC13 will have live reports from campaign watch parties and up-to-the-minute results starting at 7 p.m. You can watch wherever you stream ABC13.
Here’s everything you need to know before you go to the polls.
When are the polls open?
The 2023 general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at voting sites throughout the city.
The winners of the election will begin their terms of office on Jan. 2, 2024.
Where can I vote?
Many counties in southeast Texas allow you to vote at any polling location in the county on Election Day, including Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Galveston counties.
However, Montgomery County does require voters to cast ballots at their assigned precincts.
In Harris County alone, voters can visit one of 701 centers across the area.
Visit harrisvotes.com to find the polling location closest to you.
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If you need a ride, METRO is providing free round-trip service to the polls. Just tell the METRO operator you are going to or returning from the polls.
If you’re voting by mail, your ballot must be postmarked by 7 p.m.
Has my district changed? What district am I in?
Your district for voting for your city councilmember may have changed since the last election. The city council approved new district boundaries on Oct. 12, 2022 as part of the redistricting process after the 2020 federal census.
Houstonians can visit the city’s redistricting website to view maps and determine which council district they reside in.
If needed, when is the runoff election?
If a runoff election is necessary, it will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.
Who is running for mayor?
The following is the full list of candidates (listed alphabetically):
- Robin Williams (Write-In Candidate)
Who is running for city council?
Check who is running for each at-large seat and for your district on the City of Houston’s website.
Who is running for city controller?
What about the statewide propositions?
Every Texas ballot this election features 14 numbered propositions, all of which would permanently alter the state’s Constitution.
They deal with everything from water infrastructure and farming to property taxes and the mandatory retirement age for state judges.
ABC13 divided them into four categories to make them easier to understand.
- Props that relate to taxes
READ MORE: 14 Texas ballot propositions divided into 4 categories ahead of Election Day
14 Texas ballot propositions divided into 4 categories ahead of Election DayABC13’s Tom Abrahams digs into the proposed constitutional amendments and why Houston voters will have an outsized role in deciding whether they pass.
For more information on voting, visit harrisvotes.org.
