Early voting for the May 1 general and special elections runs through Tuesday.
Through today (Sunday), just over 50K have voted in person in Tarrant Co., including 17K in Fort Worth, 15K in CD6, 9K in Arlington and 5K in Southlake. Nearly 6K mail ballots have been returned, which are not included in those counts. In Bexar Co., nearly 57K people had voted in person through yesterday (Saturday). In Travis Co., just over 60K people had voted in person and by mail through today.
In Harris Co., just over 13K people have voted early in person or by mail through today (Sunday). The county is operating 30 early voting sites. Five of them have seen fewer than 10 voters in seven days, and nine more have seen fewer than 100 voters so far. Keep in mind that Houston does not have an election in this time frame.
HD127: Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) was charged with driving while intoxicated Friday night in Montgomery Co. “Fortunately, no one was seriously injured,” Huberty said in a Facebook post. “I know I have a problem, and this incident serves as [a] wake-up call for me. I am seeking treatment options.” Huberty is serving his sixth term.
Apportionment: The U.S. Census Bureau is expected to release state population totals this week, more than three months later than the statutory deadline. These totals are used to apportion the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Texas is expected to gain two or three seats. The state has gained at least one seat in every decennial reapportionment back to the end of the Civil War and has gained at least two seats every decade since 1990. New York has lost at least two seats every decade since 1950 and is again expected to lose two seats, although it is possible it would lose only one. The Empire State had 45 seats during the 1940s. It has 27 today. Pennsylvania has lost at least one seat in nine straight decades, moving from 36 seats in 1920 to 18 today. California is expected to lose a seat for the first time in its history.
Apportionment could have a small but significant impact on the Electoral College beginning in 2024. States that voted for President Trump in 2020 are expected to receive a net gain of four or five seats, depending on whether the district experts expect will be the last available goes to Alabama or New York. This shift would not have had an impact on the 2020 race, but it creates more paths to victory for the Republican nominee(s) in 2024 and 2028.
Apportionment data do not include the level of detail necessary for the Legislature to draw new district boundaries. That data is not expected to be released before September 30, which is 71 days before the statutory filing deadline for the 2022 election. The Senate has passed legislation that would delay the primary elections and associated deadlines based on when a redistricting plan passes the Legislature. Senate Bill 1822 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) has been referred to the House Redistricting Committee.
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