Updated as of 5/6/24, with updates in bold typeface.
Harris County, we have at three more elections to vote in this year, so don’t go into hibernation until the final one in November.
You’re going to have the do the Harris County Hustle.
Cue that groovy disco piccolo.
That video is the classic Hustle, not the Harris County Hustle.
Remember the Texas Two-Step in 2008? That’s what we called the fact that Democrats had to vote in the primary, and then caucus after the polls closed.
That’s not what this is. But who doesn’t love dancing? Hence the hustle.
The Harris County Hustle is voting twice in two different elections in May. And, voting a third time in June, which is why I didn’t want to pick the 2-step as the dance for this election season.
Republicans are hoping you will not care about the first one, and will forget about the second one.
They’re trying to hustle you, so you gotta out-hustle them. The Harris County Hustle.
Now, get out your calendar and put VOTE on three dates:
Saturday, May 4, 2024 (you can leave this one off now)
and
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
and
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Use ink, please.
I’m going to give you the dates & details, and then will link to another blog and a Trib article for some background on why you need to vote on May 4th. And when I get organized, I’ll do a deeper dive into the reasons behind what’s going on and who to vote for and why, and then link it back to this post.
But please, today, take my word for it. You need to vote on May 4th & you need to vote for the slate below. And then you need to vote again on May 28th. And again on June 15th.
May 28th Primary Runoff: Logistics
The races on the May 28th ballot are those from March 5th in which no one got over 50% of the vote. In a number of races, most of which are countywide, this is the race that will determine who the Democratic nominee will be on the ballot in November.
One of those races is the Texas Senate District 15 – the candidates are simultaneously running for the remainder of the current term and the full next term.
You can vote in the Democratic primary runoff in May even if you did not vote at all in March, or if you voted in the March Democratic primary.
If you voted in the Republican primary in March, however, you can only vote in the Republican runoff. You can’t cross back to the Democratic runoff. And why are you voting for Republicans? They are just horrid.
Notable dates:
- You can request a mail ballot if you will be out of town May 20 – 28. Do it now.
- April 29: Deadline to register to vote if you’re not already registered or if you need to update your registration.
- Monday May 20: first day of early voting
- Friday May 17: last day to apply to vote by mail
- Friday May 24: Last day of early voting
- Monday May 27: Memorial Day
- Tuesday May 28: Election Day
Yep, Election Day is the day after a long weekend. You should vote early, and encourage everyone else to do the same.
If you like voting on Election Day, I get it. Vote early anyway, and then on Election Day, you can still walk down to your precinct and say hey to everyone and get a sticker or a donut.
Much more to come, but I wanted to be sure that you get these dates on your calendar now so they don’t catch you by surprise.
June 15th Runoff for May 4th Election: Logistics
The logistics are the same in terms of finding out where to vote, making sure you are registered, but we’re now getting ready for the June 15th runoff from the May 4th race. You can read more background here.
Saturday, May 4th will be Star Wars Day, yes, but it will also be a special election with, depending on where you live in the county, only 3 or 4 races on the ballot.
The is a sneaky election and the majority of races will be for a new position that for the time being does not seem to have any policy role to play. It definitely doesn’t pay. Republicans are hoping you’ll think doesn’t matter and skip voting.
It will matter. We may not understand exaclty how yet, but who do you trust – me or Republican Paul Bettencourt who created this new elected position? Here’s more background from Off the Kuff and the Texas Tribune.
The slate to vote for:
- Place 1: Katherine Ballard Blueford-Daniels
- Place 2: Melissa Noriega
- Place 3: Pelumi Adeleke
People in Texas Senate District 15 will also pick who will fill the remainder of current Mayor Whitmire’s senate term on May 4th. That district is not countywide, however, so most voters will have only the HCAD races on the ballot.
[If you are saying hey, I just voted in that Senate race, you were actually voting in the March primary election for the term that does not begin until January 2025. The May 4th election will decide who gets the seat for the rest of 2024. Molly Cook and Jarvis Johnson are the only two candidates on the ballot for both elections.
You can vote in this election even if you did not in March.
Depending upon what school district you live in, you may have school board races on your ballot as well. Apologies that I am not as in the know when it comes to these races, but the Book-Loving Texan has a guide to some of the races around the state, including Spring Branch ISD, right here in town.
Other notable dates leading up to this election:
- If you’re going to be out of town April 22 – May 4, request a ballot by mail now
- Thursday April 4: You must be registered to vote by this day to vote on May 4th
- Monday April 22: First day of early voting
- Tuesday April 23: Last day to request a mail ballot
- Tuesday, April 30: Last day of early voting
- Saturday, May 4: Election Day
Trust me, in both of these elections, every single vote will matter. So don’t screw this up.
Harris County Hustle 
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