Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden announced that the state has 19 million registered voters, a record, ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Early voting ends Oct. 30. As of Oct. 23, more than 2.7 million Texans had voted early, and the final early voting total appears likely to set a record.
Howden said Texas continues to see strong voter registration numbers and urged eligible Texans to prepare to vote. Voters who did not cast early ballots can find their polling place at votetexas.gov, a nonpartisan site run by the Secretary of State's Office.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking a fourth term, faces Democrat Gina Hinojosa, an Austin state representative. The Dallas Morning News reported that the race appears closer than originally expected. Hinojosa said Abbott is using culture wars to distract from his record on school vouchers, data centers and property taxes.