AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Nearly 690,000 people in Texas’ 30 largest counties cast ballots on the first day of early voting, with many areas far exceeding early balloting’s opening day from the last midterm elections in 2014.
Secretary of State data released Tuesday showed that the combined number of in-person and mail-in ballots cast Monday represented about 5.6 percent of the around 12.2 million total registered voters in those counties.
Harris County, the state’s largest, Travis County, which includes Austin, Bexar County, home to San Antonio, Tarrant County, encompassing Fort Worth, and Dallas County all had first-day early voting totals higher than early voting’s first day in 2014.
This cycle’s top race pits Republican Sen. Ted Cruz against El Paso Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke.
Early voting ends Nov. 2. Election Day is Nov. 6.