Houstonians will vote on everything from president to sheriff

Election Day is Nov. 5. Here's what you need to know about how to vote and what's on the ballot in the Houston area.

Why it matters: Control of the White House and Congress is at stake .

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• State legislative seats are also on the ballot — but the chambers are extremely likely to remain under Republican control.
• Locally, Harris County residents will decide the county's next district attorney and sheriff, both pivotal in shaping local law enforcement and criminal justice.
• Residents in Houston ISD will also vote on the district's $4.4 billion bond proposal for school improvements.

The intrigue: Most local U.S. House and legislative races are expected to be lopsided, with districts drawn to favor one party .

Voting in Texas

You can register to vote at VoteTexas.gov through Oct. 7.

• Update your name or address with the secretary of state if needed.

Other key dates: In-person early voting is Oct. 21–Nov. 1.

• Oct. 25 is the last day to apply to vote by mail. Eligible voters include those 65 or older on Election Day and those who are sick or disabled.

U.S. Senate: Colin Allred (D) vs. Ted Cruz (R)

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican former Texas solicitor general first elected to the Senate in 2012, faces U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas).

Allred, a fundraising juggernaut and civil rights attorney, has tried to make the election a referendum on Cruz's anti-abortion rights positions, and he's criticized Cruz's visit to Cancún, Mexico , in 2021 during the deadly Texas winter storm.

• Allred recently picked up the endorsement of Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney .

Cruz, meanwhile, has tried to energize Texas Republican voters, warning them against complacency amid a newly invigorated Democratic Party.

• Despite a record of voting against major pieces of bipartisan legislation — the CHIPS Act and the Ukraine-Israel aid package — Cruz has presented himself on the campaign trail as a dealmaker, part of an effort to augment his conservative, rural base with suburban swing voters, per the Wall Street Journal .

The latest: Cruz and Allred have agreed to a televised debate on Oct. 15 in Dallas.

The intrigue: Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994 , but Cruz only narrowly won re-election against Beto O'Rourke in 2018.

Harris County district attorney: Sean Teare (D) vs. Dan Simons (R)

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images and via the Simons campaign

Democrat Sean Teare will face Republican Dan Simons for Harris County district attorney.

Catch up quick: Teare, a former prosecutor, led the Harris County District Attorney's Office Vehicular Crimes Division and resigned in 2023 to run against his former boss Kim Ogg for the Democratic nomination.

• Teare won the primary after Ogg fell out of favor with the Harris County Democratic Party. Simons, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

State of play: The new district attorney will inherit a criminal case backlog and make key policy decisions on handling such cases.

• Teare says he will work to eliminate the backlog by expanding "second chance" programs for people facing prosecution. He also pledged to expand reforms surrounding the county's bail system for misdemeanor charges.
• Simons also prioritizes reducing the backlog but differs in his approach from Teare. He is calling for judges to have more discretion in keeping people behind bars pretrial to enhance public safety.

Harris County sheriff: Mike Knox (R) vs. Ed Gonzalez (D)

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Via the Knox campaign and Harris County Sheriff's Department

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a Democrat, is running for re-election against Republican Mike Knox, a former Houston City Council member and police officer.

State of play: The Harris County Jail has faced intense scrutiny in recent years, having failed a number of state inspections.

• The jail experienced a record number of deaths attributed to overcrowding in 2022, when at least 27 people died in custody.
• It was finally given a passing grade in August, although six jail deaths have been reported this year.

The intrigue: Knox said he wants to address jail conditions and increase the sheriff's office's focus on human and drug trafficking.

• Gonzalez wants to enhance police accountability and mental health resources for people in crisis.

Between the lines: Gonzalez, who was once in line to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in 2016 ended the county's federal partnership that reported undocumented arrestees to ICE.

• Knox says he'd reinstate the partnership .

Houston ISD bond

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Houston ISD's $4.4 billion bond election is the district's first since 2012. If voters approve both proposals in November, it will be the largest bond package in Texas history.

Proposition A would allocate $3.96 billion for new buildings, renovations, and safety and security infrastructure.

• Proposition B seeks $440 million for technology equipment, systems and infrastructure.

Between the lines: The bond package comes in the second year of state-appointed leadership of the district, which has sparked protests from parents, teachers and community members calling for greater transparency. However, under Superintendent Mike Miles, dozens of Houston ISD campuses' academic ratings improved in the past year.

The latest: While many community members support the need for upgrades through the bonds, some refuse to back the measures under Miles' leadership due to a lack of trust after layoffs and staff departures, among other changes.

• The bond package wouldn't result in a tax increase, district officials have said. A large sample of Houston ISD residents said they would support the bonds if they didn't increase taxes.

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