Early Voting Turnout in Texas Special Election Runoffs

Early voting has concluded in three special election runoffs for the Texas House—District 28 in Fort Bend County, District 100 in Dallas County, and District 148 in Harris County. After four days of early voting due to the Monday MLK holiday, 17,697 voters cast ballots in District 28, about 12 percent of the district’s 149,546 registered voters. This far surpassed the turnout in District 100, where just 1,120 people voted, about 1.3 percent of the district’s 86,827 registered voters, and the turnout in District 148 where 3,116 voted, about 3.5 percent of the district’s 89,225 registered voters.

In the high-profile and expensive House District 28 runoff, 1,635 voters (9.1 percent) cast their ballot by mail, while 16,332 (90.9 percent) voted in person at one of the five early voting locations. The high percentage of early in-person voting is atypical for a special election, let alone a runoff.

Democrat Eliz Markowitz and Republican Gary Gates are on the ballot in the second round of the House District 28 special election after neither candidate earned over 50 percent of the vote in their first contest in November. The special election was called by Gov. Abbott after former State Rep. John Zerwas (R-Richmond) resigned to take his current position at the University of Texas System.

Polls are open for Election Day on Tuesday, January 28th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Information on Election Day polling locations can be found here.

In District 100, 353 voters (31.5 percent) cast their ballot by mail, while 767 (68.5 percent) voted in person at the lone early voting location at Sachse City Hall.

Two Democrats—political operative Lorraine Birabil and pastor James Armstrong III—are on the ballot in the special election runoff for House District 100 to replace Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. The Birabil and Armstrong led the first round of the special election in November. 

Polls are open for Election Day on Tuesday, January 28th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information on Election Day polling locations can be found here.

In House District 148, 1,279 voters (41 percent) cast their ballot by mail, while 1,837 (59 percent) voted in person at one of the five early voting locations.

On the ballot to replace former State Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) is Democrat Anna Eastman and Republican Luis La Rotta, who survived a 15-candidate race in November. 
Polls are open for Election Day on Tuesday, January 28th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information on Election Day polling locations can be found here.