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2024 Texas Elections

Sean Teare unseats Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in primary

Teare, a former prosecutor in Ogg’s office, defeated the two-term incumbent at Tuesday’s primary and will face the Republican nominee in November’s general election.

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Candidate for Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare.
Credit: Sean Teare for Harris County District Attorney Campagin

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Former prosecutor Sean Teare unseated Harris County’s embattled, two-term District Attorney Kim Ogg Tuesday night in a primary race that divided county Democrats.

Teare’s campaign gained steam as the district attorney faced a barrage of criticism from within her own party. Teare — a prosecutor in Ogg’s office until last year — will face Houston attorney Dan Simons, the lone Republican candidate in the race, in November’s general election.

Teare led Ogg in early and mail-in votes by over 50 percent Tuesday night. In a University of Houston poll released during early voting, he held a near 40 point lead over Ogg among likely voters. Ogg conceded the race shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday night.

In front of a crowd at 8th Wonder Brewery, Teare thanked his supporters, including organizations like the Working Families Party and Texas Organizing Project.

"We have a vision," Teare said. "We have something that we all really want to do, and what you just saw with those numbers means that the public is absolutely coming with us. The voters are coming with us. We are going to change Harris County."

Ogg has taken flak from local Democrats for reneging on criminal justice reform promises, her alleged links to Texas Republicans and increasing resignations in her office. Over two terms in office, she investigated members of her party and publicly clashed with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a high-profile local progressive who endorsed Teare.

In the months before the election, Teare promised to take more action on democratic reforms while Ogg fended off a firestorm of new allegations. Her office baselessly filed criminal charges in thousands of cases, the Houston Chronicle revealed. And recent reports claim she mishandled an investigation into a subversive Texas Republican.

Teare had the backing of a group of Harris County Democratic Party precinct chairs who recently voted to condemn Ogg for inadequately representing party values. In a University of Houston poll released during early voting, over 65 percent of likely Democratic primary voters said they viewed Ogg unfavorably.

Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and state Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat who endorsed Ogg in 2016, also endorsed Teare before the election.

Teare ran a well-funded campaign, bringing in over 10 times as much money as Ogg in the first half of 2023. In the last leg of fundraising ahead of the race, from Jan. 26 through Feb. 24, billionaire George Soros’ Texas Justice and Public Safety PAC contributed nearly $700,000 to his campaign. The group formerly supported Ogg during her 2016 election.

Ogg, who was backed by prominent Houston democrats, including state Sen. Carol Alvarado and state Rep. Mary Ann Perez, caught up before polls opened and significantly outraised Teare in January.

But with more than $50,000 coming from the local bail bonds industry and major contributions from a Republican mega-donor, she drew ire from local Democrats.

At the Giant Texas Distillery Tuesday night, Ogg thanked her voters and told supporters she had "made some powerful enemies for all the right reasons."

"I want to tell my fellow Houstonians who I’ve lived with all my 64 years every day in this city and tell you that if doing my job cost me my job, then I leave with my head held high," Ogg said.

As the next district attorney in Texas’ largest county, Teare will face major challenges, including a mounting criminal case backlog and overcrowding in the state’s biggest county jail. In the run-up to the race, he critiqued Ogg’s action on those issues and other democratic priorities, including bail reform.

Ogg campaigned on promises to reform the county’s cash bail system in 2016, but changed course while in office. In 2019, she opposed a settlement to a lawsuit in which a federal court found that jailing people accused of crimes before trial because they could not afford bail was unconstitutional. And she later opened a probe into a county agency monitoring the progress of bail reform.

Ogg has defended her party loyalty, record on bail and progress on democratic reforms. Throughout the campaign, she emphasized that her office decriminalized most marijuana possession and diverted thousands of minors away from incarceration. In an earlier statement to The Tribune, she accused Teare of “trying to create division in the Democratic party.”

Still, voters sided with Teare, ending the incumbent’s bid for a third term.

Travis County's incumbent District Attorney Josè Garza also won his race, overcoming a heated challenge from defense attorney Jeremy Sylestine.

Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

  • What other elections should I know about?

    Texas voters may be able to participate in the following elections:
    - May 4 elections for many local elected offices and bond propositions that are not part of county government. The voter registration deadline is April 4.
    - May 28 primary runoffs for elected offices in which no candidate won more than half of the votes during the March Republican and Democratic primaries. The voter registration deadline is April 29.
    - Nov. 5 general elections for many state, federal and county offices. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 7.

  • Are there rules at the polls?

    Cellphones, cameras, computers and other devices that can record sound or images cannot be used within 100 feet of voting stations (where ballots are marked). There are usually traffic cones or signs indicating this. Campaigning, including wearing clothing or other items that publicize candidates, political parties or measures on the ballot, is also banned beyond this point. Voters are allowed to use written notes to cast their ballot at the discretion of election officers, who may determine if the material counts as campaigning. Firearms, including handguns, are also prohibited at polling places, according to Texas law.

  • What are my rights as a voter?

    Voters have the right to:
    - cast a provisional ballot if they are registered but their name does not appear on the list of registered voters because of an administrative issue
    - get written instructions about how to cast a ballot or to ask a polling place officer or worker (but not about who or what to vote for)
    - use up to two additional ballots to make corrections if a voter makes a mistake while marking their ballot
    - generally cast their ballots in secret and should not be subject to intimidation
    - get interpretation, assistance or accommodations to vote if they have a disability or limited English proficiency
    - vote during work hours without being penalized or losing pay (this may not apply if a worker has two hours before or after work to go vote)
    - cast their ballot as long as they’re in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day
    A state law passed in 2023 also allows voters with disabilities or mobility problems to skip the line at their polling location and requires each polling location to have a designated parking spot for curbside voting.

  • What if I was planning to vote in person, but I have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or get sick?

    If you have contracted COVID-19 or are exhibiting symptoms, consider requesting an emergency early voting ballot or using curbside voting.
    Emergency ballot: These ballots can be requested if you become sick or disabled close to an election and are unable to go to a polling place on Election Day. To qualify, you must designate a representative to submit an application in person on your behalf and have a certified doctor’s note. The application must be received by your county’s early voting clerk before 5 p.m. on Election Day.
    Your ballot must be returned by the same designated representative before 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. Contact your county elections office for more details about an emergency early-voting ballot due to sickness or disability.
    Curbside voting: You can also contact your county elections office to determine if you’re eligible for curbside voting, which must be made available at every polling place for voters with disabilities unable to enter a polling location.

  • What can I do if I have trouble voting?

    At the polls, voters can talk to election officers or poll workers if they run into issues. The secretary of state’s office has a helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683) to reach state attorneys available to assist voters and election officials with questions. A coalition of voting rights groups runs voter protection hotlines in several languages. Disability Rights Texas also offers a helpline for people with disabilities.

  • Read more
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