In Jefferson, Hardin and Orange counties, election officials are seeing a large turnout in early voting for the Nov. 5 general election, according to staff speaking with The Examiner. In addition to the presidential race, Texas voters are selecting a U.S. Senator, as well as several statewide and local representatives.
On Monday, the first day for early voting, more than 15,800 people cast early ballots in the three-county region, according to election officials.
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office reported 881,078 people voted early on Monday, which is 4.73% of registered voters. The total exceeded the numbers from the first day of in-person early voting for the 2020 presidential election, when 755,136 people voted in person, 4.4% of registered voters.
Next week, early voting locations will be open for 12 hours each day, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 28, through Friday, Nov. 1, the final day.
Jefferson County
In the first three days of early voting, more than 24,700 voters casted ballots. On Wednesday, the in-person turnout was more than 7,300, reported County Clerk Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg, which brings to the three-day total to more than 24,709.
Jefferson County Election Manager Aaron Kelley reported 9,271 voters cast early ballots in person on Monday. Second-day turnout was 8,138, according to the election department website.
Also, 2,140 mail-in ballots were received prior to and during the first two days of early voting.
Orange County
In the first two days of early voting, 7,036 ballots have been cast, including 650 mail-in ballots and eight limited ballots.
On the second day of in-person early voting on Tuesday, election officials reported 3,167 ballots were marked, including 22 mail-in ballots. The Raymond Gould Community Center had 889 voters on Tuesday, 42 more than the 847 on Monday.
The first day drew 3,240 people casting in-person early ballots and 628 mailin ballots were received.
Hardin County
According to Election Administrator Alysa Freeman, more than 6,000 registered voters cast early ballots on the first two days, Oct. 21 and 22.
Freeman reported that 3,311 people voted in-person on Monday, followed by 2,943 on Tuesday. Hardin County also received 241 mail-in ballots on Monday and 25 on Tuesday.
The election administrator noted the early voting totals on Monday was higher than in the 2020 general election.
In the 2020 general election, including mail-in votes, Jefferson County reported 84,167 people voted early, or 56% of the 149,372 registered voters. Orange County recorded 30,494 people voted early, or 56% of the 54,442 registered voters. Hardin County had 22,767 early voters, including mail-in ballots, or 57% of the 39,952 registered voters.
As for this year's general election, according to county election officials, Jefferson County has 147,718 registered voters, Orange County reports 56,303 registered voters and Hardin County reports 43,127 registered voters.
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced ahead of opening the polls for early voting in the Nov. 5 election that Texas has 18,623,931 registered voters.
“This is a record number and is on target considering population growth and the increased interest around presidential elections,” said Nelson.
The 2024 number is 5% higher than the November 2022 number of 17,672,143.