2024 Texas Elections

Sheila Jackson Lee’s daughter files to finish out her mother’s term

Carter will run against two Republicans for her mother’s seat to hold for a few weeks before the winner of the general election takes over.

By Renzo Downey

Aug. 23, 202411 AM Central

Republish

Sign up for the We the Texans newsletter to receive twice-monthly updates on our year-long initiative dedicated to boosting civic engagement and chronicling how democracy is experienced in Texas.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, will be the only Democrat on the ballot seeking to finish the late congresswoman’s term, priming Carter for a few weeks in Congress as a bridge to a candidate who will fill a full term.

At the special election filing deadline at 6 p.m. Thursday evening, Carter was one of three candidates — the other two are Republicans — running to succeed her mother in the Houston-based district. If elected on Nov. 5, Carter would serve until the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 5.

As of now, Carter will face Republicans Maria Dunn and Kevin Dural in the heavily Democratic district.

Also on Nov. 5, on the general election ballot, voters will elect their representative for the next term, a full two years. Democratic officers last week selected former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as the new general election nominee following a tightly contested replacement process. Carter is not running for the full term; she and her brother endorsed Turner ahead of his nomination.

Turner will face Republican Lana Centonze. Jackson Lee died last month amid a battle with pancreatic cancer after serving in Congress for nearly three decades.

For the special election, a candidate must avoid a runoff by winning a majority of the vote to be sworn in at all, given that a special election wouldn’t take place until after the general election victor is sworn in.

In a statement when Carter announced her candidacy, she said Democrats should unite to “regain their vote.” Democratic officials in Houston, including those who sought to be the replacement nominee, endorsed Carter for the special election.

After officials selected Turner as the new Democratic general election nominee by 41 votes to 37, beating out former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, he told the Tribune he supported Carter on the special election ballot.

The most important Texas news,
sent weekday mornings.

“It would be a fitting tribute to the legacy of the congresswoman for her daughter to serve out the remainder of her term,” Turner said.

Edwards said she would support the Democratic ticket.

Carter previously was elected as a Democrat to the Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees, serving from 2013 to 2019. She has served as a policy adviser to Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis since 2020.

A second special election will take place in McLennan County, where Republican Waco businessman Pat Curry and Democratic attorney Erin Shank will fight in both the special and general election contests on Nov. 5.

State Rep. Doc Anderson, R-Waco, resigned last week, saying he wished to give his successor a head start on seniority within the Texas House. Anderson endorsed Curry’s opponent during the Republican primary but began talks with Curry following that election and endorsed him for the general and special elections.

The 89th Texas House will include at least 31 new members when it convenes in January, likely including more than 20 Republicans. There are 150 members in the House. By being sworn in before the next session begins, Curry would leapfrog in seniority, positioning himself for a future spot on high-ranking committees.

Disclosure: Harris County Department of Education has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?

Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.
What’s on the ballot for the general election?

In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices: -1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz) - 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners - 15 State Senators - 7 State Board of Education members - 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court - 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals
- Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot: - Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts - County Courts at Law - Justices of the Peace - District Attorneys - County Attorneys - Sheriffs - Constables - Tax Assessor-Collectors
How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?

You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
How do I register to vote if I haven’t?

You can request a postage-paid application through the mail or find one at county voter registrars’ offices and some post offices, government offices, or high schools. You can also print out the online application and mail it to the voter registrar in your county.
Applications must be postmarked by the Oct. 7 deadline. Download your application here.
Additionally, you can register to vote through the Texas Department of Public Safety while renewing your driver’s license. You may be able to register to vote online if you’re also allowed to renew your license online. This is the only form of online registration in the state.
After you register to vote, you will receive a voter registration certificate within 30 days. It’ll contain your voter information, including the Voter Unique Identifier number needed to update your voter registration online. If the certificate has incorrect information, you’ll need to note corrections and send it to your local voter registrar as soon as possible.
The voter registration certificate can also be used as a secondary form of ID when you vote if you don’t have one of the seven state-approved photo IDs
What can I do if I have questions about voting?

You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition has hotlines available in other languages. Disability Rights Texas also assists voters with disabilities.
Read more

Supported by

TribFest Keynotes Announced! Be there when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin take the keynote stage at The Texas Tribune Festival! Whitmer will talk with Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith about her memoir, her key victories in Michigan and the importance of every vote. Youngkin and Smith will close out TribFest with a conversation about his record, the state of his party and a conservative policy agenda for America. Explore the full program of 300+ speakers and 100+ events. Get tickets today.

Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.

Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?

What’s on the ballot for the general election?

How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?

How do I register to vote if I haven’t?

What can I do if I have questions about voting?

Wait! We need your help.

Information about the authors

Renzo Downey

Lead Writer, The Blast

Explore related story topics