Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has declared that the special election for the 18th Congressional District seat, left vacant by the late Congressman Sylvester Turner, will occur on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. This announcement came via an official proclamation issued by Governor Abbott.

Governor Abbott expressed concerns about election administration in Harris County, stating, "No county in Texas does a worse job of conducting elections than Harris County. They repeatedly fail to conduct elections consistent with state law. Safe and secure elections are critical to the foundation of our state. Forcing Harris County to rush this special election on weeks’ notice would harm the interests of voters. The appropriate time to hold this election is November, which will give Harris County sufficient time to prepare for such an important election.”

Potential candidates for the election must submit their applications to the Secretary of State by 5:00 PM on September 3, 2025. The early voting period is set to commence on Monday, October 20, 2025.

The full special election proclamation by the Governor is available for reading.