SD18 SPECIAL ELECTION LIVE RETURNS
December 6, 2014
9:25 p.m.
This is our final report of the night.
With 100% reporting:
Kolkhorst 56, Gates 34, Drabek 5, Hawkins 3, Gregory 2
HD13 Counties: Kolkhorst 77, Gates 18
Non-HD13 Counties: Kolkhorst 44, Gates 43
Kolkhorst’s victory will trigger a special election for HD13.
9:10 p.m.
Every precinct is in except for Fayette Co., in which Kolkhorst took 70% in early voting, and Kolkhorst is at 55%.
There will be no runoff.
8:55 p.m.
77% reporting: Kolkhorst 56, Gates 34, Democrats 8, Gregory 2
Still out:
- Fayette Co., which Kolkhorst won 70% in EV
- Fort Bend Co., 22 precincts, where Kolkhorst is around 35%
- Lavaca Co., 4 precincts, where Kolkhorst won 61% in EV
- Matagorda Co., where Kolkhorst took 47% in EV, and
- Waller Co., where Kolkhorst took 49.9% of the vote.
The math suggests Kolkhorst will remain safely above 50%.
8:35 p.m.
30 of 52 Fort Bend Co. precincts have reported. Kolkhorst has 35% of the vote (Gates at 50%), which is 1,102 votes short of 50%. That number is just 127 more than her gap in early voting. So, she is not losing much more ground there.
Adding these Fort Bend results to the totals reported by the Secretary of State gives Kolkhorst 55% of the total vote (less than a 1% drop).
Austin Co.’s election day votes are not yet in. In early voting, Kolkhorst took 78% of the vote. Fayette Co.’s election day votes are not yet in. In early voting, Kolkhorst took 70% of the vote there. These should be more than enough to overcome any further losses in Fort Bend Co.
8:15 p.m.
Kolkhorst 56, Gates 33, Democrats 9, Gregory 2 (39% of precincts reporting). Out of all votes cast, Kolkhorst is 1,581 votes over 50%.
About a third of the precincts NOT reporting are Fort Bend Co., in which Kolkhorst received 32% of early votes. In early voting, she was 975 votes below 50% there.
It is looking like Kolkhorst will win outright, barring a surge in election day voting in Fort Bend Co. for Gates.
All of Washington Co. has reported (Kolkhorst 88%). Kolkhorst received 1,896 votes over 50% there — she is under 50% (barely) everywhere else.
7:40 p.m.
Overall: Kolkhorst 55, Gates 34, Democrats 9, Gregory 2, early voting plus a handful of election day votes.
Counties won in early voting only:
- Kolkhorst: Austin (78%), Burleson (61%), Colorado (70%), DeWitt (59%), Fayette (70%), Harris (56%, just a handful of precincts are in SD18), Lavaca (61%), Lee (49%), Victoria (46%), Waller (46%), Washington (88%), Wharton (58%)
- Gates: Aransas (44%), Calhoun (43%), Goliad (56%), Gonzales (47%), Refugio (43%)
Tied: Nueces (1 precinct is in SD18)
No Data Yet: Jackson, Matagorda
7:15 p.m.
After Gates scored an initial win in Fort Bend Co.’s early vote, Kolkhorst has been winning most of the other counties handily and is over 50% in early voting.
Overall: Kolkhorst 55, Gates 34, Democrats 9, Gregory 2
Fort Bend Co.: Gates 51, Kolkhorst 32 (Gates +1,048 votes)
Washington Co.: Kolkhorst 88, Gates 8 (Kolkhorst +2,855)
Wharton Co.: Kolkhorst 58, Gates 30 (Kolkhorst +366)
Aransas Co.: Gates 46, Kolkhorst 42 (Gates +30)
Burleson Co.: Kolkhorst 61, Gates 28 (Kolkhorst +204)
Colorado Co.: Kolkhorst 70, Gates 25 (Kolkhorst +250)
Fayette Co.: Kolkhorst 70, Gates 23 (Kolkhorst +694)
7:05 p.m.
Polls across SD18 have closed.
In Fort Bend Co., Gary Gates received 51% of the vote. Rep. Lois Kolkhorst was second at 32%.
We’ll keep you up to date as the evening progresses.
