The early voting period could be reduced by two days in the special election runoff for a Houston congressional seat as the region copes with cold weather and icy precipitation.
The Harris County Clerk’s Office, which operates elections in Texas’ most populous county, announced it was closing its 17 early voting locations Sunday and Monday because of a winter storm that has impacted much of the state. But a Texas civil rights organization filed a lawsuit Sunday asking a judge to extend the early voting period, which is scheduled to conclude Tuesday, because of the weather-related poll closures.
Former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and former Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee are competing in the Jan. 31 runoff as they seek to fill the vacancy in the 18th Congressional District. Residents there have been without representation in Washington since U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner died in March at age 70.
Early voting started Wednesday and also was held Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A winter storm hit the Houston region late Saturday night and early Sunday.
“The safety of voters, elections workers, and staff must come first,” Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said in a Saturday night statement. “This decision was made in close coordination with state and local emergency management officials.”
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A spokesperson for the county clerk’s office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Sunday about the possibility of the early voting period being extended past Tuesday.
The lawsuit filed Sunday by the Texas Civil Rights Project, on behalf of nonprofit organizations Houston Justice and Pure Justice, alleges violations of the Texas Election Code while asking a court to order two additional early voting dates to make up for the poll closures Sunday and Monday.
Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are Hudspeth, Harris County and the five elected officials that comprise the county’s commissioners court.
There are about 400,000 registered voters in the 18th Congressional District, which includes areas north, south, east and west of downtown Houston. It has been represented by a Black Democrat since the early 1970s.
About 11,000 voters had cast in-person or mail ballots through Saturday, according to the county clerk’s office. The early voting period is scheduled to conclude Tuesday, when polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Polls also will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, which is Jan. 31.
The Houston area is under an extreme cold warning until noon Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday added Harris County to his statewide disaster declaration.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Jan. 25, 2026, to include information about a lawsuit seeking an extension of the early voting period.
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