Breaking: Election Day is here! Make your selections for Harris County's key races

Polls are open across Harris County this morning, with voters in Houston, Pasadena, Pearland, League City, Sugar Land, and Baytown heading to their local polling places to cast their ballots. According to Ballotpedia, voting in Texas runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Residents should use the website vote.gov to locate their specific polling place, as addresses and hours can vary by precinct. The U.S. government advises that anyone who is in line when polls close is entitled to cast a vote, so early arrival is recommended to ensure participation. ID rules vary by state, but Texas voters should check their state's specific identification requirements before heading to the polls to avoid any delays.

This is the midterm election, held halfway through President Donald Trump's second term. The results will decide which party controls Congress for the final two years of his administration. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for grabs. Republicans currently hold 218 seats, while Democrats hold 214, with one independent and some vacancies. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to secure a majority, whereas Republicans can afford to lose no more than two seats. Ballotpedia identifies 46 battleground districts in the House, with 25 held by Democrats and 21 held by Republicans. In Texas, every U.S. House seat is on the ballot, and the state is using a new congressional map following mid-decade redistricting.

The U.S. Senate race is also a major focus, with 35 of the 100 seats up for election. This includes 33 regular elections and two special elections for the remaining terms of Marco Rubio in Florida and JD Vance in Ohio. Republicans hold 53 seats, Democrats hold 45, and two independents caucus with the Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate, while Republicans can lose only two. In Texas, the U.S. Senate seat is an open contest with no incumbent running. The parties on the ballot include the Democratic, Independent, Libertarian, and Republican parties. Winners in the Senate will begin their six-year terms on January 3, 2027.

Texas voters are also deciding the next governor of the state. Incumbent Greg Abbott, a Republican, is running for re-election. The ballot also includes candidates from the Democratic, Independent, and Libertarian parties. According to the Associated Press, Texas is considered a competitive governor race, along with Florida and Iowa. Democrats are hoping to hold a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades, a position Republicans have held since 2010. In Texas, 36 governorships are on the ballot nationwide, with Republicans holding 26 and Democrats holding 24 heading into the election.

The mood in the country, as described by the Associated Press, is one of a referendum on Trump's second term. Voters are reported to be struggling with high prices and angry over an unpopular war with Iran. AP-NORC polling indicates that 35 percent of U.S. adults approve of Trump's job performance, while 25 percent approve of his handling of the economy. About seven in 10 Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction, and most blame the president for high prices. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing the early vote totals of four years ago in many closely watched states.

Republican leaders were bracing for the possibility of losing the House while fighting to hold the Senate. The Associated Press notes that one or two seats could tip either chamber. Democrats, on the other hand, are described as being cautiously optimistic. President Trump held dozens of rallies in the final days before the election, ending his schedule in Salina, Kansas, where he urged voters to support his party. His schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Many Republican candidates have kept their distance from the president in recent weeks to appeal to moderate voters.

Trump has continued to make claims about voting fraud, including that noncitizens vote in large numbers. His administration has sued in Alaska and California, and Democrats fear interference and intimidation as the Justice Department threatens to prosecute local election officials. A federal judge temporarily barred the administration from carrying out a plan to prevent noncitizen voting on Monday. Critics say this risks disenfranchising eligible voters and infringes on states' authority over elections. Another judge ordered the administration to stop demanding that California election officials segregate ballots cast by people on lists of suspected noncitizens.

The 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history. Republican committees outraised and outspent Democratic committees, helped by Trump-affiliated groups and Elon Musk. However, at the candidate level, Democrats outraised their opponents. According to an AP analysis of AdImpact data, 88.1 percent of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts Trump won in 2024. This includes more than $850 million spent in areas where he won by 10 points or more. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters stated that everything depends on turnout, asserting that if Republicans turn out their voters, they will win. DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said the American people are angry and want change.

Voters in Harris County are part of a national decision that will shape the government for the next two years. If Democrats win even one chamber of Congress, investigations and possible impeachment proceedings become likely. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries would be the first Black speaker of the House if Democrats take the majority, and he has outlined a 100-day agenda focused on the cost of living and oversight. A strong Democratic night would also boost potential 2028 candidates such as Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, and Pete Buttigieg. Republicans tried to beat the midterm pattern, where a president's party almost always loses seats, with redistricting, but new districts in Florida and elsewhere may not vote as drawn.

Wall Street is watching the results for more than just control of Congress. Reuters reports that the outcome could add to investor concerns about AI spending and debt ceiling negotiations. The U.S. Postal Service added hours, staff, and special lines to ensure that mail ballots are counted on time. In Texas, the state is divided between the Central and Mountain time zones, but polls generally open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time. Voters in Harris County should plan accordingly, as the time difference may affect travel times for those commuting across the state.

The Associated Press notes that the election is being watched closely for the fate of key Senate seats. In Texas, the race is between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Trump backed Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the primary. The AP says that economic strain and tariffs have made several states competitive. In North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper is running against Michael Whatley. In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff is facing Rep. Mike Collins. In Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown is challenging Sen. Jon Husted. In Michigan, former Rep. Mike Rogers is running against Abdul El-Sayed, who received an endorsement from his former primary opponent Haley Stevens on Sunday.