UPDATE: Lina Hidalgo earns Democratic nomination; Alexandra del Moral Mealer, Vidal Martinez headed to GOP runoff in Harris County judge races

Updated March 2 at 7:23 a.m.

With 166 Democratic voting centers and 173 Republican voting centers reporting election day results, it appears incumbent Lina Hidalgo has earned the Democratic nomination in the race for Harris County judge, while Republican candidates Alexandra del Moral Mealer and Vidal Martinez may be heading to a runoff election.

In the Republican race, del Moral Mealer has received 30.04%, or 39,828 votes, while Martinez—the next highest vote-getter—received 25.4%, or 33,670 votes. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote, the candidates with the two most votes would head to a runoff election to be held May 24.

In the Democratic race, Hidalgo has received 70.45%, or 86,517 votes, followed by Erica Davis—the next highest vote-getter—with 14.44% or 17,734 votes.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.

Updated March 1 at 10:30 p.m.

With six Democratic voting centers and two Republican voting centers reporting election day results, incumbent Lina Hidalgo and candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer are maintaining their leads in the Democratic and Republican races for Harris County judge nominations, respectively.

In the Democratic race, Hidalgo has received 69.61%, or 62,313 votes, followed by Erica Davis—the next highest vote-getter—with 14.75%, or 13,203 votes.

In the Republican race, del Moral Mealer has received 30.72%, or 29,099 votes, followed by Vidal Martinez—the next highest vote-getter—with 24.92%, or 23,607 votes, and Martina Lemond Dixon, who received 16.61%, or 15,735 votes. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote, the candidates with the two most votes would head to a runoff.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.

Posted March 1 at 7:57 p.m.

Early voting results show incumbent Lina Hidalgo and candidate Alexandra del Moral Mealer taking early leads in the Democratic and Republican races for Harris County judge in the March 1 primary election.

As previously reported by Community Impact Newspaper, fifteen candidates are vying for the position of Harris County judge in the March primaries, including nine Republicans and six Democrats. The winners for each party in the March primaries will be on the ballot in the November general election

In the Republican race, del Moral Mealer received 30.72%, or 29,050 votes, followed by Vidal Martinez, who received 24.93%, or 23,575 votes; Martina Lemond Dixon who received 16.62%, or 15,714 votes; Randy Kubosh who received 9.7%, or 9,177 votes; and Warren A. Howell who received 7.19%, or 6,800 votes.

Also in the Republican race, Oscar Gonzales received 3.84%, or 3,633 votes; Robert Dorris received 3.77%, or 3,565 votes; George Harry Zoes received 2.23%, or 2,108 votes; and H.Q. Bolanos received 1.01%, or 953 votes.

In the Democratic race, Hidalgo leads the pack with 69.59%, or 62,008 votes, followed by Erica Davis who received 14.77%, or 13,165 votes, and Georgia D. Provost who received 7.08%, or 6,312 votes.

Also in the Democratic race, Maria Garcia received 3.5%, or 3,119 votes, Kevin Howard received 3.04%, or 2,712 votes, and Ahmad R. "Robbeto" Hassan received 2.01%, or 1,793 votes.

It is unclear if voting results on Harris County's elections website represent all early votes cast. The secretary of state’s office reported Harris County would not be able to count and report all primary election votes by the March 2 deadline due to damage to physical ballot sheets.

Hidalgo was first elected as Harris County Judge in November 2018. She is the first woman to be elected county judge and only the second to be elected to the commissioners court in Harris County's history.

According to the Harris County website, the county judge is the presiding officer on the commissioners court—the main governing body of Harris County, which is the third largest county in the U.S. with a population of more than 4.5 million and a budget of roughly $4.3 billion. Responsibilities of the commissioners court include adopting a budget; setting tax rates; calling for bond elections; building and maintaining county infrastructure such as roads and bridges; and overseeing county courthouses, jails, libraries, parks and the Harris County Flood Control District.

By state law, the county judge also serves as the county's director of emergency management, leading the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management.

The county judge is elected to a four-year term.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.