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If your water bill jumped this spring, here is why. On April 1, Houston's water and sewer rates went up by an average of 7.87%. The City says that is 1.37% for inflation plus 6.5% from a rate plan Council set in 2021. Your own change depends on how much water you use. In the City's words, "this does not mean all customers are receiving a 7.87% increase on their bill."

To see what that looks like, take a single-family home with a standard 5/8 inch meter. The City's own examples: $35.06 a month for 1,000 gallons, $176.53 for 7,000 gallons and $377.27 for 14,000 gallons.

Then came the budget. On June 10, 2026, Council passed the City's budget for the year that started July 1. It adds a "right-of-way utility fee" on the City's water and sewer system. Each year the system pays the City's general fund up to five percent of its gross revenue, in quarterly payments. The ordinance says the fee "is not a tax."

Will the fee push your rate up? The City says no. Its budget FAQ says: "No, the CUS paying a right-of-way fee will not cause water rates to increase." (The CUS is the Combined Utility System, the City's water and sewer system.) The City says future rate changes will follow cost-of-service studies.

How to weigh in: the next rate change needs a public hearing and a Council vote. That hearing is your chance to speak.

Good to know: to estimate your bill, go to HoustonWaterBills.org. Billing questions: 713-371-1400.

When a storm stalls over Houston, the rain has to go somewhere: into the street drains, down the roadside ditches and out to the bayous. Houston voters changed the City charter to set aside money for those drains and streets, in a fund known as ReBuild Houston. Two residents, James Robert (Bob) Jones and Allen Watson, said the City was putting in less than the voters' formula called for. They sued in 2019, and in 2024 a state appeals court ruled that the City's math did not follow the charter.

In May 2025 City Council voted, with no one against, to approve a settlement with them (Ordinance 2025-0403). Under the deal, the City's share of the money the voters set aside rises in steps: 67% last budget year, 77% this year (July 2026 to June 2027), and the full amount starting in July 2027. Counting every source of money for the fund, the settlement projects about $595.6 million for streets and drainage this year and about $624.2 million next year. An audit each year checks that the City keeps to the deal.

Some questions are still in dispute. On Jan 7, 2026, Council voted 9 to 7 to spend $30 million from a different pot, the Stormwater Fund, to tear down abandoned, dangerous buildings that the City says clog ditches and drains. Mayor John Whitmire said: "This is a public safety and flooding issue. People are pleading with us to demolish dangerous buildings." City Controller Chris Hollins told Council the question was whether the City can legally spend that restricted money this way, "and the answer is no." City Attorney Arturo Michel said he is "confident" the program is allowed.

What it means on your street: the City's Capital Improvement Plan lists the drainage and street projects this money pays for, project by project. The latest version is in the June 8, 2026 presentation to Council's budget committee: houstontx.gov

How to weigh in: report a drainage or street problem to Houston 311 at houstontx.gov.

When you call 911 for the police, a clock starts. How fast an officer gets to you depends on one thing: the priority your call is given.

HPD's rules sort calls into levels. Priority 1 is "Life threatening in progress." Priority 3 covers calls where "no known emergency exists" but the situation could get worse. Priority 5 is for non-violent "delayed reports," like a property crime you find out about later.

Here is what that means in minutes. From January through June 2026, HPD reached Priority 1 calls in 5.5 minutes on average. Priority 3 calls took 53.2 minutes. Priority 5 calls took 72.3 minutes.

That is faster than a year ago. In the same months of 2025, Priority 3 took 68.8 minutes and Priority 5 took 97.4. The biggest gains came on the slowest calls, about 25 minutes faster on Priority 5. The average across all calls fell from 60.9 to 46.2 minutes, while staffing held about even at 2.27 officers per 1,000 residents.

What you can do: call 911 for an emergency. Read the rules for each priority and the June 2026 report.

Every day last year, about 60 animals came through the doors of BARC, the City of Houston's animal shelter. Most were dogs and cats, and more than half were strays someone found on the street. That added up to 22,445 animals in 2025.

For most of them, the story ended well. 5,765 were adopted, 1,043 went home to their owners, and 603 went to foster homes. Sadly, 3,813 were put down. That means 80.9% left the shelter alive in 2025, a share BARC calls its live release rate. This September it reached 86.2%.

The best way to keep the shelter from filling up is to stop unplanned litters. In 2025, BARC and its partners did 13,212 spay and neuter surgeries. Through partner groups, residents can get a low cost surgery, a rabies shot and a microchip for their pet.

A new home is coming, too. In June 2026, City Council was asked to approve $31.8 million to build a new BARC adoption center at 105 Sabine St, about 25,000 square feet, with room for about 120 animals.

What you can do: adopt, foster or find spay and neuter help at houstontx.gov/barc. If you lose or find a pet, BARC points you to Petco Love Lost. For anything else, call 311.

When: the City applied for the generator grants in September 2025. In April 2026, Council was asked to approve the rules for a second, larger generator program.

The City wants more of its own buildings to keep running when the power goes out. In its own words, the goal is "to ensure public facilities remain operational during future disasters."

In September 2025, City Council was asked to approve three applications to FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for backup generators. One asks for 14 generators to give "a secondary power source to 6 Multi-Service centers, 3 Community Centers, 3 libraries, and the Fire Logistics Complex." A second covers 3 drinking water re-pump stations. A third asks for 33 generators for 22 fire stations and 7 police stations. Together they total about $54.5 million. FEMA would pay 75%, and the City expects its 25% share to come from federal disaster recovery money from HUD.

These are the community buildings on the City's list: the Metropolitan Multi Service Center (1475 West Gray), Magnolia Multi Service Center (7037 Capitol Street), Hiram Clarke Multi Service Center (3810 West Fuqua), West End Multi Service Center (170 Heights Blvd), Denver Harbor Multi Service Center (6402 Market Street) and Third Ward Multi Service Center (3611 Ennis Street); the Fonde (110 Sabine Street), Kingwood (4102 Rustic Woods Drive) and Moody (3725 Fulton Street) community centers; and the Kendall (609 N. Eldridge Parkway), Carnegie (1050 Quitman Street) and Walker (11630 Chimney Rock Road) libraries.

The second program is bigger. City documents put the Power Generation Resilience Program at about $101.3 million, paid for with HUD disaster recovery money. Its list of uses includes "community/multiservice centers and/or libraries to serve as cooling/heating centers, shelters, and/or distribution points," along with fire and police stations and drinking water and wastewater operations.

Good to know: the grant list is a plan. The City's application says that if a project is chosen, the state and FEMA decide which disaster fund pays for it. Read the program rules at houstontx.gov

When: adopted by Commissioners Court on Thu Sept 17, 2026.

Take the average Harris County home with a homestead exemption. The County says its appraised value rose to $402,489 this year, from $394,375 last year. On Sept 17, Commissioners Court also raised the county tax rate, to $0.41750 per $100 of taxable value. Last year it was 0.38096.

Here is our math for that average home. After the 20% homestead exemption, about $321,991 is taxed. At the new rate, the county part of the bill comes to about $1,344. Last year it was about $1,202. That is about $142 more, or close to 12%, because both the value and the rate went up.

The rate alone is about 9.6% higher than last year's. The Court's own motion uses a different number. It calls the new rate "effectively a 7.97 percent increase in the tax rate." The two numbers measure different things. Ours compares this year's rate with last year's.

Why the County says it needed more: its proposed budget book says the gap it faced grew from $129 million to $181 million. The same day it set the rate, the Court approved the General Fund budget. The budget book puts General Fund spending at about $3.1 billion.

The county rate is not the only one. On Sept 17 the Court also set the Flood Control District rate at 0.05266 (up from 0.04966), Harris Health at 0.19528 and the Port of Houston at 0.00603. City, school and other taxes are separate.

Your own bill will be different. If you are 65 or older or disabled, the County lists an extra $336,000 exemption. And the taxable value of a homestead can't go up more than 10% a year.

Good to know: look up your own value and exemptions at hcad.org. The County Clerk posts Commissioners Court agendas and results at cclerk.hctx.net.

Early voting began Mon Oct 19 and runs through Fri Oct 30. Vote centers are open 7 AM to 7 PM on each remaining day. Election Day is Tue Nov 3, 7 AM to 7 PM. Early or on Election Day, you can vote at any vote center in the county, not just the one closest to home.

Step 1. Make sure you are registered. Look yourself up on the Harris County voter registration search. The deadline to register for this election was Mon Oct 5, so if you missed it, registration for Nov 3 is closed.

Step 2. See your own ballot. Look it up by name or address on What's on my Ballot. Your races and propositions depend on where you live. Part 2, What's on your ballot, walks through them. You can bring handwritten notes or a printed sample ballot into the booth, as long as you take them with you when you leave. There is no straight-ticket option, so you pick each race yourself.

Step 3. Bring a photo ID. A Texas driver license, a U.S. passport and five other photo IDs count. No photo ID? You can still vote, and the options are under ID rules, below.

Step 4. Vote early, by Fri Oct 30, at any early voting location. Find a vote center.

Step 5. Or vote on Election Day, Tue Nov 3, 7 AM to 7 PM, at any vote center. Keep your phone put away: you may not use a phone or other device within 100 feet of the voting stations.

Voting by mail? The last day to apply was Fri Oct 23. Your ballot must arrive by 7 PM Tue Nov 3. If it is postmarked by 7 PM on Election Day, it can arrive as late as 5 PM Wed Nov 4. Track your mail ballot.

Questions? Call the Harris County Clerk's Office Elections Department at (713) 755-6965.

On every Harris County ballot

Your exact ballot depends on your address. Here is what Harris County voters may see, top to bottom. To see your own, look yourself up by name or address on What's on my Ballot.

• U.S. Senator, on every Harris County ballot. Read about the U.S. Senate race.
• Governor, on every ballot. Read about the Governor race.
• U.S. Representative, one district per voter: Districts 2, 7, 8, 9, 18, 22, 29, 36 or 38. Find your district and read about each race.
• Other statewide offices: Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Comptroller of Public Accounts; Commissioner of the General Land Office; Commissioner of Agriculture; Railroad Commissioner.
• State courts and boards: Texas Supreme Court (Chief Justice and Places 2, 7 and 8); Court of Criminal Appeals (Places 3, 4 and 9); State Board of Education (Districts 4, 6, 7 and 8); your State Senator and State Representative; the 1st, 14th and 15th Courts of Appeals.
• Local courts and offices: district, county and probate court judges; District Clerk, County Clerk and County Treasurer; Justice of the Peace, Place 2, in Precincts 1 to 8.
• County Judge, on every Harris County ballot. Read about the County Judge race.
• County Commissioner, only if you live in Precinct 2 or 4. Read about the Commissioners Court races.
• County Attorney, for the rest of an unfinished term, on every ballot. Read about the County Attorney race.
• HCAD board, Places 1, 2 and 3, on every ballot. Read about the HCAD board races.
• County School Trustee (HCDE), Positions 5 and 7, on every ballot. Read about the HCDE trustee races.
• Propositions, only where you live. Find yours by where you live.
• Not on this ballot: Texas constitutional amendments (none are on the state's Nov 3 list) and HISD (no HISD contest is on the county's list).

Propositions, by where you live

Propositions only show up if you live in a particular city, school district or utility district. Find your place below. To be sure which ones are on your ballot, look yourself up by name or address on What's on my Ballot, or open the county's sample ballot. There are no Texas constitutional amendments this year, and no Harris County or HISD propositions.

How to read these. A bond lets a school or utility district borrow money for buildings, pipes or roads and pay it back, with interest, from property taxes. A tax rate question asks you to approve your school district's tax rate for this year. The ballot marks every bond and tax rate question as a tax increase. Where the district's official voter information document gives the total cost with interest, we show it under that place.

If you live in the city of Houston: Proposition A, the Houston Freedom Act

If you live in the city of Houston, one For or Against vote decides two police rules: how Houston police handle misdemeanor marijuana possession, and whether they can use no-knock search warrants.

What the ballot asks. Should Houston add a new article to its City Charter that tells Houston police (HPD) to make misdemeanor marijuana possession their lowest priority, report on that work, and stop using no-knock search warrants? A misdemeanor is a less serious crime than a felony. A no-knock warrant lets officers go into a place to search it without first knocking and saying who they are. The two parts are joined, so you cannot vote for one and against the other.

If it passes (a For vote), here is what changes for police:

• Marijuana. HPD must make enforcing Class A and Class B misdemeanor marijuana possession its "lowest possible enforcement priority." The city must change its budget, police manual and policies to match, and the City Manager and police chief must update procedures and train officers. This applies unless a binding state or federal court ruling requires otherwise.
• What an officer can still do. Marijuana stays illegal under Texas law. An officer who has probable cause to believe something is marijuana may still take it, but must write a report explaining why. The measure keeps the power of police and prosecutors "to enforce state law," and says the city supports diversion, such as treatment or community service in place of arrest or prosecution, where the law allows.
• No-knock warrants. No Houston officer could ask for, carry out or help carry out a search warrant unless it requires officers to knock, say who they are and wait at least 15 seconds before going in.
• Public reports. Within 120 days, the city must show City Council a one-time audit of five years of misdemeanor marijuana arrests and tickets. It covers how many there were, the age, gender, race and ethnicity of the people charged, and estimates of staff hours and cost. A yearly report follows. Both go on the city website.
• THC testing. The budget must show what the city spends testing how much THC, the main active chemical in marijuana, a substance has. City Council can pay for testing by majority vote when it serves "a compelling public safety purpose," such as investigating violent felonies.
• If a court strikes part of it. Any section a court finds unlawful is dropped, and the rest stays in force.
• Cost. The city's election notice says it expects "no or negligible fiscal impact" if Proposition A passes.

If it fails (an Against vote): The City Charter stays the same, and HPD's current policies on marijuana and warrants stay as they are. Marijuana possession stays illegal under Texas law either way.

What police do today. In the 2019 Harding Street raid, Houston police served a no-knock warrant, and two homeowners were killed in a shootout. Mayor John Whitmire said in August, "We are very firm that we do not serve no-knock warrants." Douglas Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said that a no-knock warrant now needs the police chief's own approval and is carried out by the SWAT team. Proposition A would write a ban into the charter.

Who put it on the ballot. Houston voters, by petition. Ground Game Texas, a statewide group, led the signature drive. On June 22, 2026, the City Secretary's office received a petition with about 40,000 signatures. Under state law it needed 20,000 valid signatures of Houston voters. City Secretary Troy D. Lemon checked a sample of 22,178 signatures, found 12,716 valid, and reported on Aug 7 that the petition passed the 20,000 mark. On Aug 12, City Council adopted an ordinance calling the Nov 3 election. The minutes record all members present voting yes, with two members absent.

If you live in League City

If you live in League City, you'll vote on one question, Proposition A. It asks whether League City police should keep using license plate reader cameras, which read the plates of passing cars, at fixed spots on public roads. The question is nonbinding, which means the result does not change any rule by itself.

If you live in Channelview ISD

If you live in Channelview ISD, you'll vote on five measures. Proposition A asks you to approve the school district's tax rate for this year, $0.9611 per $100 of taxable value. Propositions B to E are bonds that together would let the district borrow $165,140,000. The largest, Proposition B, would build, renovate and equip school buildings. The other three would pay for technology equipment, the Jennings Athletic Complex, and recreational facilities, including a multipurpose indoor facility. What it means for your bill: the district's tax impact page estimates that all five together would add about $116.58 a year, or $9.72 a month, for its average home, worth about $215,365. For a homestead appraised at $100,000, the district estimates $0.

If you live in Crosby ISD

If you live in Crosby ISD, you'll vote on two bonds that together would let the district borrow $208,280,000. Proposition A, $98,280,000, would pay for a new elementary school and five projects across the district: heating and air conditioning, roof replacement, site improvements, safety and security, and technology. Proposition B, $110,000,000, would build a new middle school to replace Crosby Middle School, built in 1974. What it means for your bill: the district says both bonds together would add about $23.15 a year, or about $1.93 a month, for its average home, which has a taxable value of $115,728 after the standard homestead exemption.

If you live in Cy-Fair ISD

If you live in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (Cy-Fair), you'll vote on five measures. Proposition A asks you to approve the school district's tax rate for this year, $1.1569 per $100 of taxable value. Propositions B to E are bonds that together would let the district borrow $1,636,520,000. Most of it, $1,299,520,000 in Proposition B, would improve, renovate, repair, replace, equip and add to existing school buildings. The other three would pay for technology for students, teachers and staff, the district's existing stadiums, and its existing swimming facilities. What it means for your bill: for a homestead appraised at $100,000, the district estimates about $0 a year, because the state's $140,000 homestead exemption for school taxes leaves that home with no taxable value.

If you live in Huffman ISD

If you live in Huffman ISD, you'll vote on one question, Proposition A. It asks you to approve the school district's tax rate for this year, $1.0637 per $100 of taxable value. The ballot says that raises the district's operations tax revenue 4.88 percent compared with the year before.

If you live in La Porte ISD

If you live in La Porte ISD, you'll vote on one question, Proposition A. It asks you to approve the school district's tax rate for this year, $1.0673 per $100 of taxable value. The ballot says that raises the district's operations tax revenue 0.12 percent, or $136,630.28, compared with the year before.

If you live in Spring ISD

If you live in Spring ISD, you'll vote on one question, Proposition A. It asks you to approve the school district's tax rate for this year, $1.1569 per $100 of taxable value. As printed, the ballot lists the increase as 0 percent, or $0.

If you live in a utility district

Utility districts are small local governments that pay for water, sewer, drainage and sometimes roads and parks for the neighborhood inside them. Only people who live inside a district vote on its questions. Not sure if you live in one? Your ballot on What's on my Ballot will show it. The names tell you the kind of district. MUD stands for municipal utility district; the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) says a MUD provides water, wastewater and drainage service, and can also run services such as parks. FWSD stands for fresh water supply district, which state law sets up to conserve, transport and distribute fresh water. PUD stands for public utility district. Spanish Cove Public Utility District has its own state law, which says it is a conservation and reclamation district in Harris County and gives it the powers state law gives a municipal utility district.

Words you'll see. A bond lets the district borrow money and repay it, with interest, from property taxes. Refunding bonds let it replace bonds it already sold with new ones. A maintenance and operations tax pays to run, maintain and repair the district's facilities, and the ballot sets the most it can charge. A confirmation question asks whether a newly created district should be set up at all; the choices are "For District" and "Against District." These terms come from chapter 49 of the Texas Water Code.

Harris County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1A. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A, a maintenance and operations tax of up to $0.40 per $100 of taxable value.

Harris County MUD 130. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A: up to $25,000,000 in bonds for water, surface water, sewer and drainage systems, plus up to $25,000,000 in refunding bonds. The total cost with interest is not stated in the county's notice of debt obligation elections.

Harris County MUD 189. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A: up to $56,265,000 in bonds for waterworks systems and related purposes. With estimated interest, the district puts the total at $106,516,613, assuming a 4.5 percent rate over 40 years. For a homestead appraised at $100,000, it estimates the most your yearly taxes would rise is $190.

Harris County MUD 553. If you live here, you'll vote on five questions. Proposition A asks you to confirm the district, which means deciding whether it is set up. Proposition B is $370,000,000 in bonds for water, sewer and drainage, plus $555,000,000 in refunding bonds. Proposition C is $280,000,000 for roads, plus $420,000,000 in refunding bonds. Proposition D is $35,000,000 for parks, plus $52,500,000 in refunding bonds. Proposition E is a maintenance and operations tax of up to $1.50 per $100 of taxable value. The total cost with interest is not stated in the county's notice of debt obligation elections.

Harris County MUD 585. If you live here, you'll vote on eight questions. Proposition A asks you to confirm the district, which means deciding whether it is set up. Propositions B, C and D are bonds of up to $147,200,000 for water, sewer and drainage, $30,510,000 for recreational facilities and $64,180,000 for roads. Propositions E, F and G allow refunding bonds in the same three amounts. Proposition H is a maintenance and operations tax of up to $1.50 per $100 of taxable value. The total cost with interest is not stated in the county's notice of debt obligation elections.

Intercontinental Crossing MUD. If you live here, you'll vote on two bonds. Proposition A would allow $70,000,000 in future bonds for water, sewer and drainage. Proposition B would allow $50,000,000 for roads. The district says its debt tax rate is $0.40 per $100 of value today and would be an estimated $1.87 if these bonds are approved. The total cost with interest is not stated in the county's notice of debt obligation elections.

Spanish Cove Public Utility District. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A: up to $6,000,000 in bonds for water, sewer and drainage. With estimated interest, the district puts the total at $11,189,188, assuming a 4.75 percent rate. For a homestead appraised at $100,000, it estimates the most your yearly taxes would rise is $635.

West Harris County MUD 15. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A: $30,000,000 in bonds for water, sewer, drainage and storm sewer systems, including refunding. With estimated interest, the district puts the total at $55,221,250, assuming a 5 percent rate. For a homestead appraised at $100,000, it estimates the most your yearly taxes would rise is $138.

Weston MUD. If you live here, you'll vote on Proposition A: up to $43,500,000 in bonds for waterworks systems and related purposes. With estimated interest, the district puts the total at $80,632,817, assuming a 4.25 percent rate over 25 years. For a homestead appraised at $100,000, it estimates the most your yearly taxes would rise is $50.

What this office does. Texas has two U.S. senators, and this ballot picks one of them for a six-year term. With the U.S. House, the Senate writes federal laws. The Senate also gives advice and consent on the President's picks for federal judges and other top jobs and on treaties, and it tries impeachments. Federal laws and federal money reach Houston through things such as highways, flood projects and health programs.

Who is running. Three names are on the Harris County ballot, in ballot order: Ken Paxton (Republican Party), James Talarico (Democratic Party) and Ted Brown (Libertarian Party). The ballot also has a write-in line. We do not profile write-in names. Only names the Texas Secretary of State has certified count, and the state's certified write-in list for this race has four: Avery Ayers, Bradford (Brad) Hall, Zul Mohamed and Jade Simmons. Open Explore your ballot for each one's public office, record, money and own words.

What this office does. The governor is the chief executive of Texas for a four-year term. The governor signs or vetoes bills passed by the Legislature, appoints the Secretary of State and the members of state boards and commissions, can call special sessions of the Legislature for specific purposes, and is commander in chief of the state's military forces. State laws on school funding and property taxes reach every Houston home, so this race matters at your door.

Who is running. Three names are on the Harris County ballot, in ballot order: Greg Abbott (Republican Party), Gina Hinojosa (Democratic Party) and Pat Dixon (Libertarian Party). The ballot also has a write-in line. We do not profile write-in names. Only names the Texas Secretary of State has certified count, and the state's certified write-in list for this race has four: Edward Earl Giles, Jenn Mack, Jinghpaw Majoishingra and Mike Miller. Open Explore your ballot for each one's public office, record, money and own words.

What this office does. A U.S. Representative serves a two-year term. The U.S. House has 435 voting members, and each one speaks for one district. Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees. With the U.S. Senate, the House writes federal laws, and the Constitution gives only the House the power to impeach federal officers. So the Representative you pick is the member of Congress who answers to your neighborhood.

Find your district. Nine U.S. House districts are on the Harris County ballot: Districts 2, 7, 8, 9, 18, 22, 29, 36 and 38. You vote in only one. The surest way to find yours is What's on my Ballot. Look yourself up by name or address, and your own ballot shows your U.S. Representative race. You can also check the county's sample ballot. The U.S. House also offers Find Your Representative, which matches your ZIP code to a district. That tool shows the district for the current Congress, which ends on Jan 2, 2027. The House says many district lines have been redrawn since the start of this Congress, and the changes may affect what district you vote in during the 2026 elections, so the district it shows may not be the one on your Nov 3 ballot. If the two differ, go by your own ballot.

How we cover each candidate. Each district below lists its candidates in ballot order, with the same fields for everyone: ballot name and party, public office, notable public record and money. Ballot names and parties come from the Harris County sample ballot and the Texas Secretary of State's ballot certification. Public office means a seat in Congress, the Texas Legislature or a statewide Texas office, with years, from the Texas Legislative Reference Library, Congress.gov and U.S. House pages. It does not cover county, city, school or court offices. Where we found none, we say so. Notable public record uses one rule for everyone: how many bills and resolutions the candidate filed as lead author or primary sponsor in the current term, as of Oct 27, 2026, from Texas Legislature Online or Congress.gov. A count shows how many bills were filed, not how they fared. We do not quote candidates' positions in these races, so all nine districts are the same. Money is each campaign's total receipts, the money it took in, from its own October Quarterly report to the Federal Election Commission, covering Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts can include a candidate's own gifts or loans. We list money for a district only when every candidate there has a report for those dates. Candidate pages are linked in Sources. Write-ins: the county's sample ballot shows no write-in line in any of these nine races, and the Texas Secretary of State's certified write-in list has no U.S. Representative names for them, so there are none to list.

District 2

Who is running in District 2. Steve Toth (Republican Party) and Shaun Finnie (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Steve Toth: Texas House, District 15, 2013 to 2015 and 2019 to present. Shaun Finnie: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Steve Toth: lead author of 89 bills and resolutions in the 2025 Texas legislative session. Shaun Finnie: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Toth $151,905.09; Finnie $402,028.70.

District 7

Who is running in District 7. Alexander Hale (Republican Party), Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (Democratic Party) and Espoir Ngabo (Green Party). Three candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Alexander Hale: none listed in the official records we checked. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher: U.S. House, District 7, 2019 to present. Espoir Ngabo: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Alexander Hale: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher: primary sponsor of 13 bills and resolutions in the 119th Congress. Espoir Ngabo: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Hale $30,064.90; Fletcher $344,065.54; Ngabo $0.00.

District 8

Who is running in District 8. Jessica Hart Steinmann (Republican Party) and Laura Jones (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Jessica Hart Steinmann: none listed in the official records we checked. Laura Jones: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Jessica Hart Steinmann: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Laura Jones: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Steinmann $302,266.59; Jones $7,919.42.

District 9

Who is running in District 9. Alex Mealer (Republican Party) and Leticia Gutierrez (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Alex Mealer: none listed in the official records we checked. Leticia Gutierrez: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Alex Mealer: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Leticia Gutierrez: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Mealer $596,292.32; Gutierrez $96,644.67.

District 18

Who is running in District 18. Ronald Dwayne Whitfield (Republican Party) and Christian Dashaun Menefee (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Ronald Dwayne Whitfield: none listed in the official records we checked. Christian Dashaun Menefee: U.S. House, District 18, 2026 to present.

Notable public record. Ronald Dwayne Whitfield: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Christian Dashaun Menefee: primary sponsor of 4 bills and resolutions in the 119th Congress, since joining in 2026.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: not shown. FEC reports for these dates are not on file for every candidate in District 18. Each candidate's FEC page is linked in Sources.

District 22

Who is running in District 22. Trever Nehls (Republican Party) and Marquette Greene-Scott (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Trever Nehls: none listed in the official records we checked. Marquette Greene-Scott: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Trever Nehls: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Marquette Greene-Scott: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Nehls $104,906.36; Greene-Scott $9,677.68.

District 29

Who is running in District 29. Martha Fierro (Republican Party) and Sylvia Garcia (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Martha Fierro: none listed in the official records we checked. Sylvia Garcia: Texas Senate, District 6, 2013 to 2018; U.S. House, District 29, 2019 to present.

Notable public record. Martha Fierro: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Sylvia Garcia: primary sponsor of 20 bills and resolutions in the 119th Congress.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Fierro $485.00; Garcia $189,517.20.

District 36

Who is running in District 36. Brian Babin (Republican Party) and Rhonda Hart (Democratic Party). Two candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Brian Babin: U.S. House, District 36, 2015 to present. Rhonda Hart: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Brian Babin: primary sponsor of 18 bills and resolutions in the 119th Congress. Rhonda Hart: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: not shown. FEC reports for these dates are not on file for every candidate in District 36. Each candidate's FEC page is linked in Sources.

District 38

Who is running in District 38. Jon Bonck (Republican Party), Melissa McDonough (Democratic Party) and Alex McMenemy (Green Party). Three candidates are on the ballot.

Public office. Jon Bonck: none listed in the official records we checked. Melissa McDonough: none listed in the official records we checked. Alex McMenemy: none listed in the official records we checked.

Notable public record. Jon Bonck: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Melissa McDonough: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature. Alex McMenemy: none under this rule, not a current member of Congress or the Texas Legislature.

Money, Jul 1 to Sep 30, 2026. Total receipts: Bonck $527,011.15; McDonough $50,140.57; McMenemy $0.00.

What this office does. When a hurricane, flood or freeze hits, the County Judge leads county emergency management. The County Judge also chairs Commissioners Court and sets the county's budget agenda.

Who is running. Letitia Plummer (Democratic Party) and Orlando Sanchez (Republican Party). The seat is open, so neither is the incumbent. Open Explore your ballot for each one's background, plans and donors.

What this office does. Four commissioners and the County Judge set the county budget and tax rate. Each commissioner runs county roads and parks in their precinct, and the court oversees flood control.

Who is running. In Precinct 2 (southeast county and parts of north Houston): Adrian Garcia (Democratic Party, incumbent) and Richard Vega (Republican Party). In Precinct 4 (west county and southwest Houston): Lesley Briones (Democratic Party, incumbent), Steve Radack (Republican Party) and Michelle Gwinn, a declared write-in candidate on the county's write-in list. Not sure of your precinct? Your ballot on What's on my Ballot shows it.

What this office does. When the county goes to court in a civil case, the County Attorney is its lawyer, from flood-control contracts to consumer and environmental enforcement. Criminal cases belong to the District Attorney, who is not on this ballot.

Who is running. Abbie Kamin (Democratic Party, incumbent) and Jacqueline Lucci Smith (Republican Party). Open Explore your ballot for each one's background, plans and donors.

What this office does. The value on your property tax notice comes from HCAD. Its board hires the chief appraiser and adopts the budget. Since 2024, voters have elected three at-large seats on that board, after Texas voters approved Proposition 4 in 2023. The race is countywide and nonpartisan, and you pick one candidate for each place.

Who is running. Place 1: Kathy Blueford-Daniels (incumbent) and Beverly Barrett. Place 2: Chris Ehlinger, Jourdyn Wilson and Claudio Gutierrez. Place 3: Cris Moses, Ericka McCrutcheon (incumbent) and Jesus Nieto.

Good to know. Whoever wins, HCAD says your next value notice should come in early to mid-April 2027, and the deadline to protest it is Mon May 17, 2027. What the board can and cannot do about your value is in Explore your ballot.

What this office does. HCDE provides shared services to the county's school districts, such as Head Start, adult education, after-school programs and special-education help. It has its own small property tax. Trustees are elected countywide.

Who is running. Position 5: Erica Davis (Democratic Party, incumbent) and Sartaj Bal (Republican Party). Position 7: Silky Joshi Malik (Democratic Party, incumbent) and Denise Dick (Republican Party).

Out on Bellaire Boulevard, chef Trong Nguyen put two food traditions on one table: his Vietnamese heritage and the Louisiana seafood tradition. The restaurant says he "pioneered Viet-Cajun crawfish in Houston before it had a name." In his words: "I didn't create a dish. I created a culture".

Start with the crawfish, his original recipe, in rich garlic butter and a house blend of spices. Then get the wok-fired fried rice. The menu calls it "The dish that brings together two cultures on one plate." Gulf oysters come raw, chargrilled or cheesy.

This is messy food. Wear something you don't mind getting butter on, and bring friends so you can order more.

Good to know: happy hour runs Mon to Fri, 3 to 6 PM, dine-in only, and the oysters are a happy hour staple.

Where: 11360 Bellaire Blvd, Suite 990 (map) Check crawfishandnoodles.com before you go.

Chef Kaiser Lashkari comes from Pakistan, and that is where he draws the flavors in his food. He earned a master's degree from the Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management in 1989, then opened Himalaya in the Hillcroft area. It has served Pakistani and Indian food there since 2004.

Order the Hunter's Beef Plate first. The restaurant calls it "Indian-style pastrami": a big portion of tender beef cubes, marinated and cured in traditional spices. At lunch, the specials pair a curry or grilled meat with raita, nan, rice and dessert, and there are vegetarian plates too.

Lashkari was a James Beard semifinalist in 2019. The restaurant's site says the Houston Chronicle ranked Himalaya No. 9 on its Top 100 Houston Restaurants list. You will most often find him in the kitchen, or out in the room greeting guests.

It is a casual room, and it is BYOB, so bring your own drinks.

Good to know: closed Mondays. The dining room closes for the last half hour each day.

Where: Himalaya Restaurant, Hillcroft area (map) Check himalayarestauranthouston.com before you go.

People line up for breakfast at the Breakfast Klub in Midtown, and the restaurant would like you to see that line a different way. As it says on its site, "It’s not a line, it’s fellowship".

The founder grew up working beside his brothers in his father's Houston catering business. He saw that the city needed a good breakfast place, found a spot at Travis and Alabama, and opened in September 2001 with two signature dishes. They are still why most people come: Katfish & Grits, and Wings & Waffles. The K is on purpose. The menu spells a lot of things that way.

The room is casual and family style, with modern art, plants and wood tables. Look around and you might see a table of downtown lawyers, a family fresh from church or students on a cheap meal. The restaurant says "lokal politicos kome here to powwow," and that Medical Center patients and visitors stop in before or after appointments.

First time? Get the wings and waffles, and give yourself time for the line on weekends.

Where: 3711 Travis St at Alabama, Midtown (map) Check thebreakfastklub.com before you go.

In 1973, Ninfa Laurenzo had just lost her husband, Domenic. She had children to raise, and the family's tortilla factory in Houston's East End was struggling. So she cooked. She grilled skirt steak and tucked the sizzling meat into a handmade flour tortilla.

She served it as tacos al carbon. The restaurant tells it this way: the dish was "tacos al carbon, which the whole world would eventually come to know as fajitas." A struggling family business in the East End ended up at the start of a dish people now eat everywhere.

Mama Ninfa died in 2001. The Original Ninfa's still cooks on Navigation, and it was a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2019. The restaurant says it mixes her comfort food and tradition with new ideas from the kitchen.

Go with a group and order to share. On weekends there is also brunch.

Where: 2704 Navigation Blvd, East End (map) Check ninfas.com before you go.

On a reading night, a leading writer walks out in front of a Houston crowd, reads from new work, then sits down for an on-stage interview. The series pairs readings with on-stage interviews and book signings. That is the Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series, and it has brought leading writers to Houston since 1980. On Nov 12, the series brings Colson Whitehead to Congregation Emanu El. There is no book signing at that event.

Inprint is Houston's literary arts nonprofit, and the reading series is only one door in. The Inprint Cool Brains! Series does the same thing for middle-grade authors and families.

Inprint also teaches. Workshops for aspiring writers cover fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Tuition-free community workshops are open to teachers, senior citizens, healthcare providers, veterans and the incarcerated, to help people of all backgrounds become better writers and share their stories.

You may also run into Inprint at a festival. The Inprint Poetry Buskers bring typewriters and write poems on request, in English and Spanish. Its home base, Inprint House, sits on West Main in the Museum District next to the Menil campus, serving as a hub of local literary activity and other free programs.

Cost: $5 general admission for most readings. Students and seniors 65 and up can get free seats on request for most readings. Cool Brains! afternoons are free. Confirm dates, venues and tickets on the Inprint calendar at inprinthouston.org before you go.

We reached out to Inprint for this article, and Inprint reviewed it. It is a free article. No one paid to be featured or edited.