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U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, will be the only Democrat on the ballot seeking to finish the late congresswoman’s term, priming Carter for a few weeks in Congress as a bridge to a candidate who will fill a full term.
At the special election filing deadline at 6 p.m. Thursday evening, Carter was one of three candidates — the other two are Republicans — running to succeed her mother in the Houston-based district. If elected on Nov. 5, Carter would serve until the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 5.
As of now, Carter will face Republicans Maria Dunn and Kevin Dural in the heavily Democratic district.
Also on Nov. 5, on the general election ballot, voters will elect their representative for the next term, a full two years. Democratic officers last week selected former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as the new general election nominee following a tightly contested replacement process. Carter is not running for the full term; she and her brother endorsed Turner ahead of his nomination.
Turner will face Republican Lana Centonze. Jackson Lee died last month amid a battle with pancreatic cancer after serving in Congress for nearly three decades.
For the special election, a candidate must avoid a runoff by winning a majority of the vote to be sworn in at all, given that a special election wouldn’t take place until after the general election victor is sworn in.
In a statement when Carter announced her candidacy, she said Democrats should unite to “regain their vote.” Democratic officials in Houston, including those who sought to be the replacement nominee, endorsed Carter for the special election.
After officials selected Turner as the new Democratic general election nominee by 41 votes to 37, beating out former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, he told the Tribune he supported Carter on the special election ballot.
“It would be a fitting tribute to the legacy of the congresswoman for her daughter to serve out the remainder of her term,” Turner said.
Edwards said she would support the Democratic ticket.
Carter previously was elected as a Democrat to the Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees, serving from 2013 to 2019. She has served as a policy adviser to Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis since 2020.
A second special election will take place in McLennan County, where Republican Waco businessman Pat Curry and Democratic attorney Erin Shank will fight in both the special and general election contests on Nov. 5.
State Rep. Doc Anderson, R-Waco, resigned last week, saying he wished to give his successor a head start on seniority within the Texas House. Anderson endorsed Curry’s opponent during the Republican primary but began talks with Curry following that election and endorsed him for the general and special elections.
The 89th Texas House will include at least 31 new members when it convenes in January, likely including more than 20 Republicans. There are 150 members in the House. By being sworn in before the next session begins, Curry would leapfrog in seniority, positioning himself for a future spot on high-ranking committees.
Disclosure: Harris County Department of Education has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections
When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?
Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.
What’s on the ballot for the general election?
In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
-1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
– 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
– 15 State Senators
– 7 State Board of Education members
– 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
– 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
– 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals
Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
– Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
– County Courts at Law
– Justices of the Peace
– District Attorneys
– County Attorneys
– Sheriffs
– Constables
– Tax Assessor-Collectors
How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
You must be registered to vote in a Texas county by Oct. 7 to vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election. You can still register for other elections.
If you’re registered but didn’t update your address by the deadline, you may still be able to vote at your previous voting location or on a limited ballot. (Voters are typically assigned precincts based on where they live. In most major counties, voters can vote anywhere on Election Day, but some counties require you vote within your precinct. If that is the case, you may have to return to your previous precinct. See which counties allow countywide Election Day voting here. You can usually find your precinct listed on your voter registration certificate or on when checking your registration online.)
If you moved from one county to another, you may be able to vote on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both locations, such as statewide races. However, limited ballots are only available during early voting. Find your county election official here and contact them to ask about or request a limited ballot.
What can I do if I have questions about voting?
You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State’s helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition also has hotlines available for voters who speaker other languages or have accessibility needs.
For help in Spanish, call 888-VE-Y-VOTA or 888-839-8682.
For help in Asian languages, call 888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683.
For help in Arabic, call 888-YALLA-US or 888-925-5287.
For help in American Sign Language through a video, call 301-818-VOTE or 301-818-8683.
For help from Disability Rights Texas, call 888-796-VOTE or 888-796-8683.
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