Millions of Texans will head to the polls on Tuesday, but nearly half of all registered voters in the Lone Star State have already cast their ballots.
After facing criticism during the 2022 election, Harris County eliminated its election administrator position, transferring authority back to County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, who expressed confidence in their readiness for Election Day.
“This is an important time for our country. It’s going to be interesting,” said poll worker Garfield Teixeira.
Teixeira has served on the front lines in more ways than one. She dedicated 22 years to the army and now stands on the front lines of democracy as a poll worker.
“We’re like Santa’s helpers, like elves,” Teixeira said, comparing polling centers to Santa’s workshops.
Teixeira has been working at a Brazoria County polling site during early voting.
“Friday, we welcomed a lot of first-time voters. We joked about having a bell to ring for them, like when you buy a car,” she shared.
So far, 8.9 million Texans have voted early, representing about 47% of the 18.6 million registered voters. While this is slightly lower than the 57% early voting turnout in 2020—when an additional week was added due to the pandemic—it still reflects strong engagement.
“The turnout has been tremendous,” Teixeira said.
With increased scrutiny on election procedures, poll workers face higher pressure to ensure accuracy and integrity.
“I always review my information and refresh my knowledge because a lot can change between elections,” said Shaikil Grisham, a former poll worker who recently moved to Texas.
In an effort to monitor for possible violations, the Department of Justice initially planned to send election monitors to eight Texas counties. However, Texas officials informed the DOJ that monitors would not be permitted inside polling places.
The Texas Secretary of State will deploy monitors to Harris County, which has welcomed state monitors in previous elections.
