Some context
A special election was held Nov. 4 to fill the vacant congressional seat following the death of incumbent Sylvester Turner in March.
The special election, which had 16 candidates, resulted in a runoff election between the top two vote-getters: Democratic candidates Christian Dashaun Menefee and Amanda Edwards. The winner of the special runoff election will serve Congressional District 18 for the remainder of Turner's unexpired term, which ends in January 2027.
What voters should know
For the special runoff election, polls will be open for early voting in accordance with following schedule:
- Jan. 21-24: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Jan. 25: noon-7 p.m.
- Jan. 26-27: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
According to the Harris County Clerk's Office website, 17 polling locations will be open during early voting, and approximately 68 polling locations will be open on election day.
District 18 is located entirely within Harris County's boundaries, and Harris County residents can cast their ballot at any polling location during early voting or on election day.
Something to note
The special runoff election is separate from the upcoming primary election, which will be held March 3 for Congressional District 18. The winners of the Republican and Democratic primaries will face each other in November with the winner beginning to serve District 18 in January 2027.
Following congressional redistricting, which will take effect in January 2027, District 18 will cover portions of southwest, central and northeast Houston. However, for the special runoff election, District 18 will follow the current district map, which covers portions of north, west and east Houston.
