Voting is under way across Texas as Election Day coverage focuses on closely watched races in Central Texas and the battle for control of Congress in Washington.
Polls opened statewide at 7am on Tuesday, November 3, and are due to remain open until 7pm. The Texas Secretary of State has confirmed that voters still waiting in line at closing time will be allowed to cast their ballots.
In Austin and surrounding counties, voters are deciding contests ranging from congressional and state legislative seats to statewide offices. The results will help determine the political direction of Texas as well as the balance of power in the US capital.
Texas voting monitored by Justice Department
The US Department of Justice has deployed election monitors and observers across all 50 states in what it described as its largest such operation. In Texas, personnel are assigned to Bexar, Blanco, Bowie, Dallas, Harris, Nueces and Waller counties.
The monitors are examining compliance with federal voting and civil rights laws, including provisions covering accessibility, voter registration and protection against intimidation. The department said about 1,000 personnel were taking part in the nationwide effort.
Texas voters are required to show an approved form of photo identification when voting in person. Those who cannot reasonably obtain an accepted document may use a reasonable impediment declaration alongside supporting identification.
The ballot includes the US Senate seat currently held by John Cornyn, all 38 Texas seats in the House of Representatives, the governorship and other statewide offices. Judicial, state legislative and local contests are also being decided.
Nationally, the midterm elections could determine whether Donald Trump’s Republican Party retains control of the House and Senate for the final two years of his presidency. More than 30 Senate seats and every seat in the House are being contested, with several races expected to remain uncertain after polls close.
Election officials have urged voters to check their polling location before travelling and to remain patient as results are counted. Mail ballots postmarked by 7pm on Election Day may still be received under Texas deadlines, including a later deadline for certain domestic ballots.
