Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on April 7 set the special election date for Texas’s 18th Congressional District as Nov. 4.
The seat was left vacant on March 5 after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner, the former Houston mayor who had only recently taken office after a decades-long career in state and local politics. His family said Turner, 70, died due to ongoing health complications.
The governor, in his announcement, said holding the election in November would give Harris County adequate time to prepare.
“No county in Texas does a worse job of conducting elections than Harris County,” Abbott said in a statement. “They repeatedly fail to conduct elections consistent with state law. Safe and secure elections are critical to the foundation of our state. Forcing Harris County to rush this special election on weeks’ notice would harm the interests of voters.”…