NEWS AROUND TEXAS
Election Day • Governor race • Tax receipts
November 3rd, 2026AD
TEXAS’ DAILY FRONT PAGE — THE STORIES MOVING THE LONE STAR STATE
TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Early voting ends; polls close 7
2. Property tax plans split race
3. Harris, Travis ready legal teams
4. Sales tax receipts up 13%
5. Faculty challenge Tech rules
POLLS CLOSE AT 7; RESULTS TAKE TIME
Texas polls close at 7 p.m. local time Tuesday. Anyone already in line can still vote, The Texas Tribune reports.
Preliminary results should begin appearing shortly afterward, starting with ballots cast during early voting. Those returns are not final or certified results.
The Tribune reports that more than 7.7 million Texans voted early, in person or by mail, the highest midterm early-turnout rate on record in modern-day Texas.
Only an exact tie automatically triggers a recount, the report says. Results become official through the state's certification process, not simply when early totals appear on election night.
ABBOTT AND HINOJOSA OFFER DIFFERENT PLANS
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott seeks a fourth term against Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who would become Texas' first Latina governor, KUT reports.
Both candidates emphasize affordability. Abbott supports the school voucher program created in 2025; Hinojosa opposes vouchers and state takeovers of local school districts.
The governor proposes letting voters decide whether to eliminate school district property taxes for homeowners through a constitutional amendment.
Hinojosa proposes one-time $1,500 payments to Texas households from the state's Rainy Day Fund. The winner could be clear Tuesday night, but a close contest could take longer to call.
COUNTIES PREPARE FOR ELECTION LEGAL DISPUTES
Harris and Travis counties have prepared legal responses to possible state or federal intervention on Election Day, Houston Public Media reports.
County Attorney Abbie Kamin of Harris County formed an election protection taskforce of over 30 attorneys.
Travis County's attorney's office got authority from its Commissioners Court to file proactive litigation if necessary.
Dallas County has not pre-authorized legal action, administrator Darryl Martin told HPM.
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued over voting-related advertisements by the Harris County clerk that he described as racially discriminatory. Kamin announced an interim agreement Friday.
GOP Chair Cindy Siegel of Harris County defended the state's scrutiny, saying the county is not unfairly targeted.
TEXAS SALES TAX RECEIPTS RISE 13%
Texas state sales tax collections for September rose 13% from a year earlier, Texas Public Radio reports, citing the comptroller's office.
TPR describes it as the first back-to-back monthly double-digit increase since the pandemic. Statewide retail receipts rose 11%, while hotel occupancy tax revenue fell 21%.
The picture differed across cities. San Antonio's sales tax revenue fell more than 4%, while Austin's rose 14%.
TPR notes some of San Antonio's decline can be explained by a lower city sales tax rate.
TEXAS TECH FACULTY CHALLENGE TEACHING RULES
Texas Tech faculty in Lubbock say system restrictions concerning race, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation are changing course materials, NPR reports through Texas Public Radio.
Chancellor Brandon Creighton issued directives in December 2025 and April 2026. Faculty groups challenged them in federal court in July.
Creighton has described state law as a "floor" for what Texas Tech can do, the report says.
His office and the system's Board of Regents did not respond to multiple requests for comment from NPR.
HOOD COUNTY WEATHER WATCH
CURRENT: Observed 2:15 p.m., Granbury airport (KGDJ): clear, 72°F, northwest wind near 17 mph, gusts to 21 mph
Forecast (NWS Fort Worth): Sunny this afternoon, high near 73°.
Tonight: Mostly clear, low around 50°.
3-DAY OUTLOOK
Wednesday: mostly sunny, 72°/51°
Thursday: sunny, 77°/49°
Friday: sunny, 69°/46°
COMMUNITY PULSE
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