Early voting set to take place Oct. 20-31
Voters to decide on 2 special elections, 17 proposed state amendments
Early voting for the Nov. 4 election will begin Monday, Oct. 20, and continue through Friday, Oct. 31.
Voters who will decide fill two vacated seats at the federal and city levels, as well as determine the fate of 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution at the state level.
Houston At-Large Position 4
A special election is being held by the city of Houston to fill the At-Large Position 4 City Council seat that was recently vacated by Letitia Plummer, who is stepping down to run for Harris County judge in 2026.
Vying to replace Plummer are the following 15 candidates:
– J. Brad Batteau.
– Sheraz Mohammad Siddiqui.
– Angie Thibodeaux.
– Alejandra Salinas.
– Sonia Rivera.
– Kathy L. Tatum.
– Jordan Thomas.
– Ethan Hale.
– Adrian Thomas Rogers.
– Cris Wright.
– Martina Lemond Dixon.
– Al Lloyd.
– Dwight A. Boykins (former District D City Council member).
– Miguel Herrera.
– Kristal Mtaza-Lyons (write-in).
18th Congressional District
A special federal election will be held to determine who will fill the U.S. Congressional District 18 seat vacated by the death of former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who died unexpectedly this past March.
A total of 16 candidates filed in the special election to fill the 18th Congressional District seat vacated by Turner.
Democrats seeking to represent the traditionally blue district include the following candidates:
– Amanda Edwards.
– Jolanda Jones.
– Isaiah Martin.
– Christian Menefee.
– Stephen Huey.
– Valencia Williams.
– Feldon Bonner II.
Republicans who filed to run for the seat include the following candidates:
– Theodis Daniel.
– Ollie Knox.
– Carmen Montiel.
– Carter Page.
– Ronald Whitfield.
Additional candidates include the following candidates:
– George Foreman IV (Independent).
– Reyna Anderson (Independent).
– Vince Duncan (Independent).
– Tammie Rochester (Green Party).
Constitutional amendments
Voters will decide on the following 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution:
– Proposition 1: Establishes a permanent infrastructure and workforce education fund for Texas State Technical College.
– Proposition 2: Bans state-imposed taxes on capital gains for individuals, families, estates and trusts.
– Proposition 3: Allows judges to deny bail in certain felony cases under specific conditions.
– Proposition 4: Allocates sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund for long-term water infrastructure.
– Proposition 5: Exempts animal feed held for retail sale from property taxes.
– Proposition 6: Prohibits taxes on securities transactions and certain occupation taxes.
– Proposition 7: Grants property tax exemption to surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-related conditions.
– Proposition 8: Prohibits “death taxes” such as inheritance, estate or gift taxes.
– Proposition 9: Allows property tax exemption on personal property used to generate income.
– Proposition 10: Offers temporary property tax relief for homestead improvements damaged or destroyed by fire.
– Proposition 11: Increases property tax exemption for elderly or disabled Texans by school districts.
– Proposition 12: Reforms the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and its review process by the Texas Supreme Court.
– Proposition 13: Raises the school district homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000.
– Proposition 14: Creates a Dementia Prevention and Research Institute with $3 billion in funding.
– Proposition 15: Affirms that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children.
– Proposition 16: Clarifies that only U.S. citizens may vote in Texas elections.
– Proposition 17: Provides property tax exemption for land improved for border security infrastructure.
Early voting locations
Nearby early voting locations include the following:
– El Franco Lee Community Center, 9500 Hall Road.
– Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane.
– BakerRipley Pasadena Campus, 720 Fairmont Parkway in Pasadena.
– East Harris County Activity Center, 7340 Spencer Highway in Pasadena.
– South Houston Municipal Courthouse, 1019 Dallas St. in South Houston.
– Tom Bass Park Community Center, 15108 Cullen.
Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Approximately 450 voting locations will be open on Election Day (Nov. 4).
To see a complete list of polling locations and a sample ballot, visit www.harrisvotes.com.
Leader offers correction on Mims story
Hellyer endorses no candidate, per longstanding SJC policy
The article titled SJC’s Mims to run for Congress that ran in the Oct. 9 edition of the Leader contained multiple inaccuracies.
Longtime San Jacinto College board member Dan Mims recently announced that he is running for Texas’ newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, and the story falsely stated that SJC Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer had endorsed Mims, who currently serves as the board’s chair.
Despite the candidate’s longstanding relationship with the area college, Hellyer refrained from endorsing Mims – or any other candidate – as it’s the college’s policy to not do so due to possible conflicts of interest.
Hellyer released the following statement:
“An article printed in the October 9, 2025, issue of the South Belt Ellington Leader erroneously reported that I have endorsed Dan Mims for U.S. Congress. I want to be clear; this is false. As Chancellor of San Jacinto College, where Mr. Mims serves in an elected position as Chair of the Board of Trustees, I cannot, should not, and do not use my position to endorse any candidate in any election. The article’s claim is without foundation. Additionally, I did not provide a quote for the article, nor was there a campaign event held at San Jacinto College.
“My focus is and always has been to the students, employees, and communities we serve at San Jacinto College. I remain committed to working with all elected officials to ensure that our students can complete their certificates or degrees, and that our communities are better places to live, work and play because of the work we do at San Jacinto College.”
Mims also stressed the importance of keeping the college out of politics.
“I have been intentionally keeping my campaign separate from the college,” Mims said in a statement. “Dr. Hellyer has not endorsed my candidacy, nor have I requested her endorsement. I respect Dr. Hellyer’s role as college chancellor and the need for both Dr. Hellyer and San Jacinto College to not get involved in political races.”
The Leader apologizes for any confusion and to Hellyer, San Jacinto College and the Mims campaign.
TX-9
Currently led by longtime Rep. Al Green, Texas’ 9th Congressional District has long been a Democratic stronghold. Recent redistricting, however, has transformed the traditionally blue district into a predictably red one.
Mims – who has served on the San Jacinto College board since 2002 – is running as a Republican in the contest. Also a longtime business owner, Mims said his experience in both education and business make him uniquely qualified for the position.
“Washington, D.C. has become a three-headed monster of regulations, taxes and lawyers that strangles small businesses and workers. I know firsthand that our entrepreneurs, educators and workers – not bureaucrats – hold the key to Texas’ future,” Mims said in his announcement. “I’ve been creating jobs and getting people job ready for 40 years. I can tell you the best way to do that is to get Washington out of the way. I’ll fight for less regulation, a secure border and letting taxpayers and businesses keep more of our hard-earned money.”
Mims joins a crowded field of well-known challengers.
The following is a list of known candidates in the upcoming primaries for the TX-9 position:
Democrats:
– Al Green: Incumbent congressman since 2005, known for his advocacy on civil rights and housing.
– Earnest Clayton: Community activist and former nonprofit director focused on housing and economic justice.
– Peter Filler: Retired educator and longtime Democratic volunteer with a platform centered on public education and health care.
Republicans:
– Dan Mims: San Jacinto College Board Chair and business leader with deep ties to education and workforce development.
– Briscoe Cain: State Representative from Deer Park, known for his work on election law and gun rights.
– Alexandra del Moral Mealer: Former Army bomb squad officer and energy finance executive who narrowly lost the 2022 race for Harris County judge. Currently serves as Public Safety chair for Houston’s METRO board.
The new TX-9 map is being challenged in federal court, with a trial underway in El Paso. Civil rights groups argue the redistricting violates the U.S. Constitution by dismantling coalition districts and diluting minority voting power. The Department of Justice has flagged the changes, and the outcome of the trial could determine whether the new map is used in the 2026 elections.
The TX-9 primary elections are slated for March 3, 2026, with the general election to follow on Nov. 3, 2026.
For additional information on Mims’ campaign, visit www.danmimsfortexas.com.
E-mail mynews@southbeltleader.com with news items of interest.