KATY, TEXAS – OCTOBER 27: Supporters wait in line for a picture with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after a ‘Get Out The Vote’ rally at the Fuzzy’s Pizza & Italian Cafe on October 27, 2022 in Katy, Texas. With less than two weeks away from the midterm election, Gov. Greg Abbott continues campaigning across the state of Texas. Gov. Abbott is up against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Voter participation in the county of more than 2.6 million registered voters is off to a strong start. More than one million Harris County residents cast their ballots in the early voting period, which wrapped on Nov. 1. However, trends in voter turnout reveal a disparity across communities, with higher participation reported in predominantly white neighborhoods compared to Black communities.

According to local election officials, the early voter surge has been remarkable, with some polling locations seeing continuous lines and high activity. Polling sites in wealthier, predominantly white areas, including locations in the Heights, Montrose, and Cypress neighborhoods, report especially high turnout. These sites have seen steady traffic, with several precincts close to doubling their early voter numbers compared to the same period in previous elections.

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Voters stand in line on the last day of early voting.

In contrast, turnout has been lower in historically Black neighborhoods such as Third Ward and Sunnyside, areas that have traditionally faced hurdles to voter engagement, from accessibility to limited voter education resources. Community leaders and activists are calling attention to the need for targeted outreach and resources to support equal voter participation to get people to turn out on Nov. 5.

“We need to vote because on November 6 we will still be paying taxes, laws will still be passed and judges will still sit on the bench. We need to make sure that our tax dollars are spent in our community, that judges will be fair and that laws that are passed that don’t harm us,” said voter advocate Pam Gaskin.

From Oct. 21 to Oct. 31, here are the top 5 voting locations:

  1. Richard and Meg Weekley Community Center: 32,523 voters
  2. Juergen’s Hall Community Center: 33,369 voters
  3. West Gray Metropolitan MultiService Center: 32,211 voters
  4. Kingwood Community Center: 24,935 voters
  5. Nottingham Park Building: 24,616 voters

The top five polling locations in predominantly Black areas:

  • Prairie View University Northwest: 21,718 voters
  • Sunnyside Health and MultiService Center: 11,866 voters
  • Acres Homes MultiService Center: 11,347 voters
  • Hiram Clarke MultiService Center: 10,311 voters
  • Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church: 6,639 voters

Other locations in predominantly Black areas:

  • TSU Recreation Center: 4,124 voters
  • Shrine of the Black Madonna: 3,938 voters
  • Kashmere MultiService Center: 4,931 voters
  • Fountainlife Center: 6,118 voters
  • HCC North Forest Center: 2,471 voters

You can check how many people have voted at your polling location here.

Shawnda Washington and her family made early voting a priority.

This is a record for Harris County for the number of in-person votes cast during the first week of early voting, beating the previous 2020 record by 58,161 votes.

Voting advocates are urging those who missed the early voting, to make sure they’re at the polls on Nov. 5. Many mobilizing volunteers to provide rides, share information, and encourage voters in areas with lower turnout to make their voices heard on Election Day.

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