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This story was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
A district judge has ordered Harris County to extend the early voting period for the runoff election in Texas’ 18th Congressional District, after polling stations were closed Sunday and Monday due to severe weather.
The Texas Civil Rights Project on Sunday filed a lawsuit against the county on behalf of organizations Houston Justice and Pure Justice, asking to add Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 to early voting.
“While understandable in light of severe weather and safety concerns, these closures will make it impossible for some of Plaintiffs’ members and other voters in Congressional District 18 … to exercise their right to vote in this important special runoff election,” the lawsuit said.
On Monday, Judge Latosha Lewis Payne granted the groups’ request. According to her order, the county is required to operate the same early voting locations that were set for Monday on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the Sunday polling places would have to be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth’s office didn’t immediately respond to a comment request.
The runoff election is between former Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, both Democrats. Both support the lawsuit.
“Folks in TX-18 have already gone nearly a year without a voice in Congress,” Menefee said in a Sunday post on social media. “We shouldn’t have to settle for just five days to vote early in such an important election.”
He subsequently called the judge’s order “a big win for voter access.”
The district hasn’t had representation in Congress since the March 2025 death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner.
“This district has gone without its voice, without its vote, without anyone to advocate on its behalf of federal funding for far too long,” Edwards told The Texas Tribune Sunday. “We are finally on the cusp of it getting its voice back and we want to make sure that as many people in this 18th Congressional District as possible have the opportunity to participate in this process.”
The winner will hold the seat through the end of this year, but will have little time to prepare for the primary election on March 3, which will effectively decide who represents the heavily Democratic district starting in 2027. The primary also includes U.S. Rep. Al Green, who is changing districts after his district was redrawn in the recent mid-decade redistricting, and Gretchen Brown, a candidate with defense policy experience.
In the Nov. 4 special election to replace Turner, Menefee finished first with 28.9% of the vote, while Edwards was second at 25.6%, out of 16 candidates.
