HOUSTON – Harris County voters will be asked to vote twice to fill the seat of late United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.
The race for Texas’s 18th congressional district will feature both a special election and a general election, both taking place on Election Day.
Lee’s seat in Congress has not been filled since her passing in July.
(Photo by Joshua Roberts/Getty Images)
Governor Greg Abbott set the special election to fill that seat for November 5, the same day as the general election.
Harris County voters will vote once for the “unexpired term” which will fill the seat until January 2025, when Lee’s term ends.
Voters will also make a choice in the general election. The winner of that race will represent the district from January 2025 to 2027.
Following Sheila Jackson Lee’s passing, Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for a special election to fill her empty seat until the current term is over.
In that race, Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of Sheila Jackson Lee, filed her candidacy to finish Jackson Lee’s current term as the Democratic candidate.
In a statement to FOX 26, following the passing of her mother, Carter said, “I want to finish for my mom!”
Her opponents include Republican Candidates Maria Dunn and Kevin Dural.
According to her campaign website, Dunn spent 27 years at energy companies solving complex legal and business challenges, developing strategies to drive growth and innovation, and being a sustainability leader.
Dural’s campaign website stated that Dural is a 25-year-old M.B.A. graduate with a diverse background in political, business, and scientific research. He is driven to continue making impactful contributions for Texans through business and policy initiatives. As a partner at Blue Group International, he plays a crucial role alongside other leaders in proposing, securing, and developing infrastructure projects, including railroads and recycling facilities, through consortiums and public-private partnerships.
A general election will also be held to determine who will be the next candidate to fill the seat for District 18.
Numerous candidates, including former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and as well as Amanda Edwards, and several other candidates. FOX 26 also hosted a candidate forum with the candidates prior to a special meeting that was held by all of the Harris County Precinct Chairs to approve a new candidate as Sheila Jackson Lee had already been chosen in the March primaries.
During that meeting, during the initial vote Turner tied with Amanda Edwards for the votes on Tuesday evening leading to a runoff. After a second voting process, Turner received the majority votes.
Turner will face off against the Republican candidate Lana Centonze, who says she is fighting for causes including upgrading infrastructure, securing the border, protecting family unit, human trafficking, thriving economy, and term limits.
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