One month after the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, Texas’s 18th Congressional District remains without representation in the U.S. House. The district includes approximately 800,000 residents in the Houston area. Some local officials have called for a special election. Governor Greg Abbott said, “Listen, there’s going to be time to do it. Know this, and that is that election is in Harris County, and Harris County is a repeat failure, as it concerns operating elections,” according to CW39.
Governor Abbott has not yet called a special election to fill a vacant U.S. House seat previously held by former Houston Mayor Turner, who died shortly after taking office. The seat is important, with the current House balance at 220-213 in favor of Republicans. Harris County officials, including chief elections officer Teneshia Hudspeth, told Associated Press they are "fully prepared." to hold the election. County Attorney Christian Menefee, a possible candidate, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have mentioned legal action if the delay continues.
Governor Greg Abbott has not yet set a date for a special election, citing concerns about Harris County’s past election issues. In a statement to CW39, Abbott said, “I will be announcing that sometime soon, but I want to make sure that Harris County has all the opportunity to get this right, unlike what they’ve done in the past.” Residents are still waiting for clarity on when they will be able to vote.
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