HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – If you’re driving in Harris County, you may see a new reminder about the November election: “Plan. Check. Vote.”
Thirteen billboards carrying that message are going up across the county as part of a voter education campaign unveiled Monday by Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth. The billboards will appear in English and Spanish, with additional messages planned in other languages.
Recommended Videos
“Our goal is to make sure that every Harris County voter has clear, accurate, and accessible information about how to participate in the upcoming midterm elections,” Hudspeth said.
For voters, the most immediate step is checking their registration and making sure their address is current. The deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election is Monday, Oct. 5.
“We want to remind you, because we do know there’s a lot going on in the state of Texas, to check your voter registration, make sure that you have the information that you need, that you update it,” Hudspeth said. “Because the last day to register to vote is October 5th.”
Hudspeth also wants voters to preview their sample ballot before they get to a vote center.
“Harris County has one of the longest ballots in the nation, so any average voter when they go in to vote, whether it’s early voting or Election Day, will have anywhere from 100 plus contests and pages to go through,” she said. “So that’s part of the planning process. A lot of candidates to study.”
Voters can check their registration at HCTAX.NET. The clerk’s office has also launched a Harris Votes mobile app where voters can find vote centers and view their sample ballots. Hudspeth said the app is available through Apple and Google app stores.
Another point of confusion, Hudspeth said, is whether voters must go to a specific precinct. Harris County voters can use any county vote center during early voting or on Election Day.
“And since 2019, Harris County voters have voted countywide so they don’t have to worry about if they’re in the right precinct,” she said. “They can vote anywhere on early voting and Election Day.”
The campaign includes traditional and digital billboards. Lee Vela of Clear Channel Outdoor, which partnered with the county, said digital signs allow the messages to rotate throughout the day. He estimated the billboards will generate nearly six million impressions per week.
“So if you move around Harris County you’re going to see these boards,” Vela said.
Hudspeth said the county is paying for the billboards as part of a broader voter education campaign that will also use radio, television, social media and multilingual materials.
“Why now? Because now people are paying attention,” Hudspeth said. “Candidates are running their platforms, and you always want to do it in a window of time right before in-person voting starts.”
Early voting runs Oct. 19-30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter
